Billing code 28119: Heel spur removalMedicare rate & RVUs in Illinois
Reports operative removal of a symptomatic calcaneal heel spur, with plantar fascial release included when performed as part of the procedure.
Medicare pays $512.82–$558.84 for 28119 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 28119 covers
A foot-and-ankle surgeon or podiatrist uses this service to remove a calcaneal spur associated with persistent heel symptoms, commonly a plantar spur in a patient with chronic plantar heel pain. The operation may include release of the plantar fascia when the surgeon performs it with spur removal. It is generally performed in an operating room or ambulatory surgery setting after conservative treatment has not resolved the problem.
Report the code when the operative work removes a heel spur, rather than a broader portion of the calcaneus or a bone lesion. The operative note should identify the spur's location and describe its removal; document plantar fascial release if performed. A 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted, co-surgeons require supporting documentation, and 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 28119 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
$512.82 to $558.84
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $558.84 | $373.55 |
| East St. Louis | $524.02 | $354.39 |
| Rest Of Illinois | $512.82 | $344.49 |
| Suburban Chicago | $555.79 | $366.44 |
How the 28119 rate is calculated
Each of 28119’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 · 28119
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 5.42Practice expense 9.87Malpractice 0.59
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 28119
28119 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 28119
Heel spur removal
| 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) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| 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 · 28119
Heel spur removal
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
28119 without 50 · national office
$530.41
Heel spur removal
28119-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$795.62
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).
28119 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
28119 vs 28118 vs 28120 vs 28100: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 28118Heel bone resection
- Choose 28119 for removal of a calcaneal spur. Choose 28118 for calcaneal ostectomy when the operative target is not a spur.
- 28120Bone excision
- 28120 describes partial excision of the talus or calcaneus; 28119 is specific to removal of a calcaneal spur.
- 28100Bone lesion excision
- 28100 is for excision or curettage of a bone cyst or benign tumor in the talus or calcaneus, not a heel spur.
28119 billing questions
How is 28119 different from 28118?
Use 28119 when the operative target is a calcaneal spur. Code 28118 describes calcaneal ostectomy for work other than spur removal.
Can plantar fascia release be included?
Yes. The service covers heel spur removal with or without plantar fascial release when the release is performed as part of the spur operation.
What documentation supports 28119?
Document the symptomatic calcaneal spur, its location, and the operative removal. If the plantar fascia is released, describe that work in the operative report.
How is bilateral heel spur surgery reported?
For bilateral procedures, report modifier 50; CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted, and team surgery is not permitted. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation.
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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