Billing code 21348: Facial fracture repairMedicare rate & RVUs in Florida
Reports open operative repair of a nasomaxillary fracture when bone grafting is part of reconstructing the injured facial skeleton.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 21348 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 21348 covers
This code represents open surgical repair of a fracture involving the nasomaxillary region when bone grafting is used in the reconstruction. It is typically performed by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, plastic surgeon, or otolaryngologist in an operating room for facial trauma requiring direct exposure and graft support. The operative report should establish the fracture location and extent, the open repair, and the graft’s role in the reconstruction.
Select this code for the grafted nasomaxillary repair, rather than a sibling code describing fixation or multiple fractures. It is major surgery with a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during that period. When other procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this service. An assistant at surgery may be paid, and co-surgeons are permitted; team surgery is 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 21348 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 | $1,018.94 |
| Miami | Unavailable | $1,087.15 |
| Rest Of Florida | Unavailable | $976.80 |
How the 21348 rate is calculated
Each of 21348’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 · 21348
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 17.08Practice expense 8.81Malpractice 2.49
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 21348
21348 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 21348
Facial fracture repair
| 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) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 2 | Paid. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 2 | 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 · 21348
Facial fracture repair
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 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
21348 without 51 · national facility
$947.92
Facial fracture repair
21348-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$473.96
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%).
21348 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
21348 vs 21346 vs 21347 vs 21339 vs 21366: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 21346Midface fracture repair
- Use 21346 for open nasomaxillary fracture treatment with fixation. Use 21348 when the repair includes bone grafting.
- 21347Nasomaxillary fracture repair
- 21347 is for open treatment of multiple nasomaxillary fractures; 21348 identifies grafting in the repair.
- 21339Nasoethmoid repair
- 21339 describes open treatment of a nasoethmoid fracture with fixation. Choose by the documented fracture site and repair, not by the presence of grafting alone.
- 21366Malar fracture repair
- 21366 concerns open repair of a complex malar fracture with grafting. It is for malar-region injuries, not nasomaxillary fractures.
21348 billing questions
How does this differ from 21346?
Use 21348 when bone grafting is part of the nasomaxillary fracture reconstruction. Code 21346 describes open treatment with fixation rather than grafting.
When is 21347 more appropriate?
Code 21347 describes open treatment of multiple nasomaxillary fractures. Choose based on the documented fracture pattern and procedure, not simply because grafting was performed.
Should modifier 50 be reported for fractures on both sides?
No. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code; the descriptor and anatomy do not support bilateral adjustment.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care for 90 days.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
An assistant at surgery may be paid, and co-surgeons are permitted. Team surgery is not permitted for this service.
How are other procedures in the same session paid?
Under the standard multiple-procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are paid at 50%.
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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