Billing code 27324: Thigh biopsyMedicare rate & RVUs in Guam
Report this code for an open diagnostic sample of deep soft tissue in the thigh or knee area, including subfascial or intramuscular tissue.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 27324 in Guam.
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 27324 covers
This code describes an open biopsy that samples deep soft tissue in the thigh or knee area, such as tissue beneath the fascia or within muscle. An orthopedic surgeon or other surgeon may perform it to investigate a suspected tumor or other abnormality when tissue is needed for diagnosis. The surgeon obtains a representative sample rather than removing the entire lesion as definitive treatment. It is distinct from a superficial soft-tissue biopsy and from a biopsy of the knee joint lining.
Report the code when the operative note supports a deep sampling site and documents the approach and tissue obtained. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction. For bilateral procedures reported with modifier 50, CMS pays 150%. Assistant-at-surgery services are not paid; 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.
27324 in Hawaii, Guam
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii, Guam | Unavailable | $414.09 |
How the 27324 rate is calculated
Each of 27324’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 · 27324
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 4.91Practice expense 6.01Malpractice 1.13
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 27324
27324 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 27324
Thigh biopsy
| 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) | 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) | 0.10/0.69/0.21 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 27324
Thigh biopsy
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
27324 without 50 · national facility
$402.48
Thigh biopsy
27324-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$603.72
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).
27324 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
27324 vs 27323 vs 27330 vs 27328: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 27323Soft-tissue biopsy
- Choose 27324 for a deep, subfascial, or intramuscular sample; 27323 applies to superficial soft tissue in the thigh or knee area.
- 27330Knee biopsy
- 27330 is for biopsy of the knee joint lining. Use 27324 when the sampled target is deep soft tissue in the thigh or knee area.
- 27328Soft-tissue tumor excision
- 27328 describes excision of a qualifying deep tumor, not a diagnostic tissue sample. Use 27324 when the procedure obtains a biopsy rather than removing the tumor.
27324 billing questions
How does this differ from 27323?
27324 is for a deep sample, such as tissue beneath the fascia or within muscle. Use 27323 for a superficial soft-tissue biopsy.
Can this be reported when the entire lesion is removed?
This code describes a diagnostic sample, not removal of the whole lesion. When the lesion is excised, select the applicable excision code based on the tissue depth and other code criteria.
Is a biopsy of the knee joint lining reported with this code?
No. A sample of the knee joint lining is a different anatomic target; code 27330 describes biopsy of that lining.
What documentation supports the deep-biopsy code?
The operative report should identify the thigh or knee-area target, state that the sampled tissue was deep to the fascia or intramuscular, and describe the biopsy performed.
How is a bilateral procedure handled?
CMS pays a bilateral procedure reported with modifier 50 at 150%. The record should support biopsy of the corresponding deep soft-tissue targets on both sides.
Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery services are not paid for this code. 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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