Billing code 21070: CoronoidectomyMedicare rate & RVUs in Florida
Reports surgical removal of a mandibular coronoid process, typically to relieve restricted jaw opening caused by coronoid impingement or enlargement.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 21070 in Florida.
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 21070 covers
A coronoidectomy removes the mandibular coronoid process when it mechanically limits jaw opening. A typical clinical setting is restricted mandibular movement associated with an enlarged or impinging coronoid process. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons and other surgeons treating maxillofacial conditions may perform the operation in a surgical facility; Medicare volume is reported in facility settings.
Report the procedure when the operative service removes the coronoid process, and document the indication, side, relevant findings, and work performed. This major surgery includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. An assistant is paid only when medical necessity is documented; 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 21070 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.
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Lauderdale | Unavailable | $576.13 |
| Miami | Unavailable | $611.86 |
| Rest Of Florida | Unavailable | $551.15 |
How the 21070 rate is calculated
Each of 21070’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 · 21070
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 8.40Practice expense 6.54Malpractice 1.23
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 21070
21070 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 21070
Coronoidectomy
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 090 | Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included. |
| Multiple procedures | 2 | Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 1 | Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| 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) | 0.10/0.69/0.21 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 21070
Coronoidectomy
90-day global period ends
Dec 30, 2026
Covers Sep 30, 2026 through Dec 30, 2026 (92 days, including the day before surgery).
Visit on Oct 31, 2026
Day 30 of the 90-day post-op period: related follow-up care is included in the surgical payment.
Pre-op dayGlobal period
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
21070 without 50 · national facility
$540.09
Coronoidectomy
21070-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$810.14
Both sides on one line with modifier 50 are paid at 150% of the fee schedule amount (subject to multiple-procedure rules with other procedures).
21070 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
21070 vs 21050 vs 21060 vs 21073: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 21050Condylectomy
- Choose 21070 when the operation removes the mandibular coronoid process. Code 21050 concerns removal of the mandibular condyle.
- 21060TMJ meniscectomy
- Code 21060 concerns cartilage within the temporomandibular joint; it does not describe coronoid process removal.
- 21073TMJ manipulation
- Code 21073 describes manipulation of the temporomandibular joint under anesthesia. Use 21070 when the coronoid process is surgically removed.
21070 billing questions
How is this different from removing the mandibular condyle?
This code is for removal of the coronoid process, which can restrict jaw opening. Code 21050 concerns the mandibular condyle, a different part of the jaw joint.
What documentation supports reporting this procedure?
Document the jaw-opening problem, findings connecting it to the coronoid process, the side treated, and the operative work removing the process.
Can this code be reported for both sides?
Yes. For bilateral surgery, modifier 50 is paid at 150% under the CMS facts provided.
What postoperative care is included?
The major-surgery global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
When is an assistant at surgery payable?
Assistant-at-surgery payment is allowed only when the record documents medical necessity. 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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