Billing code 17276: Skin lesion destructionMedicare rate & RVUs in Illinois
Reports destructive treatment of a malignant skin lesion over 4.0 cm on the scalp, neck, hands, feet, or genital area.
Medicare pays $271.53–$295.49 for 17276 in the office in Illinois, from Rest Of Illinois to Chicago. 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 17276 covers
Code 17276 represents destructive treatment of a malignant skin lesion in the scalp, neck, hands, feet, or genital area when the lesion is over 4.0 cm. Destruction may use an accepted technique such as electrosurgery, cryosurgery, laser, or chemical treatment; this code is not for surgical removal by excision. Dermatologists and other physicians treating skin cancer commonly perform the service in an office procedure room, with occasional facility use. Documentation should identify the malignant diagnosis, exact site, lesion diameter, and treatment performed.
Select the code by the anatomic group and documented lesion size. Code 17274 covers the same sites for lesions measuring 3.1 through 4.0 cm; codes for other site groups are not interchangeable. Medicare assigns a 10-day minor-procedure global period, so related postoperative visits during that period are included. When multiple procedures subject to the reduction are performed in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery, and co-surgeon and team-surgery billing 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 17276 pays more and less in Illinois
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
4 payment localities
$271.53 to $295.49
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $295.49 | $183.37 |
| East St. Louis | $277.79 | $175.15 |
| Rest Of Illinois | $271.53 | $169.68 |
| Suburban Chicago | $293.11 | $178.54 |
How the 17276 rate is calculated
Each of 17276’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 · 17276
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 3.17Practice expense 4.85Malpractice 0.34
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 17276
17276 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 17276
Skin lesion destruction
| 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 · 17276
Skin lesion destruction
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
17276 without 51 · national office
$279.23
Skin lesion destruction
17276-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$139.62
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%).
17276 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
17276 vs 17274 vs 17266 vs 17286: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 17274Lesion destruction
- Both codes cover the scalp, neck, hands, feet, and genital area. Use 17274 for lesions measuring 3.1 through 4.0 cm; use 17276 when the lesion is over 4.0 cm.
- 17266Lesion destruction
- Both codes cover malignant lesions over 4.0 cm, but 17266 is for the trunk, arms, or legs. The specified sites for 17276 belong to a different anatomic group.
- 17286Lesion destruction
- 17286 covers lesions over 4.0 cm on the face, ears, eyelids, nose, or lips. Use 17276 for the scalp, neck, hands, feet, or genital area.
17276 billing questions
Which lesion size belongs to 17276?
Use 17276 for a malignant lesion over 4.0 cm at the scalp, neck, hands, feet, or genital area. A lesion measuring 3.1 through 4.0 cm at those sites falls in 17274.
Does the site affect code selection?
Yes. The size range alone is not enough: 17276 is for the scalp, neck, hands, feet, or genital area. A lesion over 4.0 cm in another anatomic group requires that group's code.
Is excision reported with 17276?
No. This code describes destruction of a malignant skin lesion, not its surgical removal by excision. The operative documentation should support the destructive treatment performed.
Are related postoperative visits included?
Yes. Medicare includes related postoperative visits during the 10-day global period in the procedure payment.
How does Medicare handle another procedure performed in the same session?
Under the standard multiple-procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures subject to the reduction are paid at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for 17276.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be billed?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service. Co-surgeon and team-surgery billing 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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