Billing code 10140: Fluid drainageMedicare rate & RVUs in Florida
Report incision and drainage when a clinician opens and evacuates a hematoma, seroma, or other fluid collection rather than aspirating it.
Medicare pays $172.78–$189.83 for 10140 in the office in Florida, from Rest Of Florida to Miami. Which amount applies depends on the service address.
Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.
On this page 9 sections
What 10140 covers
This service involves making an incision to drain a hematoma, seroma, or other localized fluid collection. A clinician may perform it in an office, clinic, or facility when a collection—such as a postoperative seroma or a localized hematoma—requires drainage through an incision. The procedure is distinct from needle aspiration and from drainage directed at an abscess or a complex infected postoperative wound.
Document the collection’s location and clinical nature, the incision and drainage performed, and the circumstances supporting that approach. The code has a 10-day global period, so related postoperative visits during that period are included. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others are subject to the standard 50% multiple procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Medicare does not pay for an assistant at surgery, and co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
This summary was written with AI assistance from CMS physician fee schedule data and checked against the CMS billing rules shown here. Rates on this page come directly from CMS files.
Where 10140 pays more and less in Florida
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
3 payment localities
$172.78 to $189.83
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Lauderdale | $181.53 | $121.98 |
| Miami | $189.83 | $128.63 |
| Rest Of Florida | $172.78 | $116.58 |
How the 10140 rate is calculated
Each of 10140’s three RVUs is multiplied by a geographic index (GPCI) for the payment locality, added up, and multiplied by the conversion factor. Drag the indexes or enter a ZIP to see what moves the rate.
How the rate is built · 10140
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 1.54Practice expense 3.47Malpractice 0.21
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 10140
10140 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 10140
Fluid drainage
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 010 | Minor procedure: the day of the procedure plus 10 days after are included. |
| Multiple procedures | 2 | Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 1 | Not paid (statutory restriction). |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.10/0.80/0.10 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 10140
Fluid drainage
10-day global period ends
Oct 11, 2026
Covers Oct 1, 2026 through Oct 11, 2026 (11 days).
Visit on Oct 31, 2026
After the global period ends: visits and procedures are billed normally.
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
10140 without 51 · national office
$174.35
Fluid drainage
10140-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$87.18
When this isn’t the highest-valued procedure in the session, Medicare pays 50% of its fee schedule amount (the highest is paid at 100%).
10140 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
10140 vs 10160 vs 10060 vs 10180: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 10160Lesion aspiration
- Choose 10140 when the clinician incises the collection to drain it. Choose 10160 when drainage is performed by puncture or aspiration.
- 10060Abscess drainage
- Code 10060 describes incision and drainage of a simple or single abscess. Code 10140 is for a hematoma, seroma, or other fluid collection.
- 10180Wound drainage
- Code 10180 is for complex drainage of a postoperative wound infection. Use 10140 for drainage of a hematoma, seroma, or other fluid collection when the service is not that complex infection procedure.
10140 billing questions
When should I report 10140 instead of 10160?
Report 10140 when the clinician uses an incision to drain the collection. Code 10160 describes drainage by puncture or aspiration.
How does 10140 differ from abscess drainage?
10140 is for a hematoma, seroma, or other fluid collection. For incision and drainage of a simple or single abscess, consider 10060; more extensive or multiple abscess drainage is described by 10061.
Are related postoperative visits separately payable during the global period?
Related postoperative visits for 10 days are included in the global period for 10140.
Can modifier 50 be reported for bilateral drainage?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code.
How does the multiple procedure reduction affect 10140?
When it is performed with other procedures in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others are subject to the standard 50% reduction.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for 10140. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
Where these rates come from
FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indexes and the conversion factor. Services without a published rate are labeled, never given a made-up amount. Amounts are Medicare allowed amounts before claim adjustments: not a patient’s bill or a commercial rate.
CMS RVU26D · effective Oct 1, 2026 through the day before Jan 1, 2027
Show the CMS file lines behind this rate
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