Billing code 15783: DermabrasionMedicare rate & RVUs in Guam
Reports shallow mechanical skin resurfacing at any body site, including superficial tattoo removal, when the selected treatment does not involve deeper dermabrasion.
Medicare pays $474.36 for 15783 in the office in Guam (Hawaii, Guam). 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 15783 covers
Code 15783 represents shallow mechanical resurfacing of the skin at any body site. Tattoo removal is a classic application; the procedure may also be selected for other superficial surface irregularities when the clinician intentionally limits the abrasion depth. Dermatologists and plastic surgeons commonly perform dermabrasion in an outpatient office or surgical setting. The technique and depth distinguish this service from deeper or broader dermabrasion procedures.
Choose this code based on superficial treatment depth, not whether the site is facial or elsewhere. Document the indication, site, extent treated, and superficial technique. The service has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction. Bilateral adjustment does not apply. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity; 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.
15783 in Hawaii, Guam
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii, Guam | $474.36 | $321.32 |
How the 15783 rate is calculated
Each of 15783’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 · 15783
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work4.30
4.30 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense8.49
8.49 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.43
0.43 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
13.2200
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$441.56
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 15783
15783 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 15783
Dermabrasion
| 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) | 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) | 0.10/0.71/0.19 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 15783
Dermabrasion
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
15783 without 51 · national office
$441.56
Dermabrasion
15783-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$220.78
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%).
15783 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 15780Dermabrasion
- Use 15780 for dermabrasion involving the total face. Code 15783 is for superficial treatment at any site.
- 15782Dermabrasion
- Use 15782 for dermabrasion at a nonfacial site when its site-and-extent criteria fit. Code 15783 is distinguished by superficial treatment depth.
- 15786Lesion abrasion
- Code 15786 is directed to abrasion of a single lesion. Code 15783 describes superficial dermabrasion at any site, such as superficial tattoo removal.
- 15788Chemical peel facial epidrm
- Code 15788 describes facial epidermal resurfacing with a chemical peel. Code 15783 describes mechanical abrasion.
15783 billing questions
How does 15783 differ from the other dermabrasion codes?
Code 15783 identifies superficial treatment at any site. Codes 15780–15782 distinguish broader dermabrasion by facial or nonfacial site and treatment extent.
When should a coder consider 15786 instead?
Consider 15786 for abrasion directed at a single lesion rather than superficial resurfacing at any site. The documented procedure and treatment target should support the code selected.
Is routine postoperative care separately reported?
Related postoperative care during the 90-day global period is included, along with the day-before preoperative visit.
Can modifier 50 be used for treatment on both sides?
No. Bilateral adjustment does not apply to this code.
What documentation supports reporting 15783?
Document the indication, anatomical site, area treated, and the superficial abrasion technique. The record should make clear why this service fits rather than a deeper or lesion-specific procedure.
How are multiple procedures in the same session paid?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented 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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