No office rate
Use 15841 when the graft is muscle. Code 15840 is for a fascial graft.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
15840 Facial reanimation Medicare reimbursement rates in Maryland
A surgeon uses a fascial graft to provide support in facial paralysis, commonly as part of reconstructive surgery to improve facial symmetry or movement. Compare 15840 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Maryland.
Amounts below use the non-QP conversion factor for participating physicians. These are base physician payments before claim-level adjustments, not patient costs or total hospital charges.
What does Medicare pay for 15840 in Maryland?
Maryland has 3 payment localities in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the 3 payment areas shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
No supported rate
Facility setting
$888.99–$978.77
3 of 3 localities have a supported rate.
These are locality ranges, not averages or address-specific quotes. A facility-setting amount covers the physician service; it does not include a hospital’s separate bill. Choose a locality below to inspect its calculation, compare other payment areas, or price a percentage of Medicare.
Where 15840 pays more and less in Maryland
Plastic surgery
About 15840: Facial paralysis fascial graft
A surgeon uses a fascial graft to provide support in facial paralysis, commonly as part of reconstructive surgery to improve facial symmetry or movement.
This operation uses fascia, often harvested from the patient, to support facial tissues affected by paralysis. Plastic surgeons and otolaryngologists may perform it as part of facial reanimation, including reconstruction intended to improve resting symmetry or help restore movement. The service is typically performed in an operating room; it is distinct from eyelid procedures that address inability to close the eye.
Report 15840 when the documented graft material and procedure are fascial, rather than a muscle graft or a microsurgical nerve graft. The operative report should identify the facial paralysis indication, the graft work, and any graft harvest. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during the following 90 days. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 15840
- Global period
- Major surgery with a 90-day global period: the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included.
- Multiple procedures
- Standard multiple procedure reduction: the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50% when performed in the same session.
- Bilateral procedures
- Bilateral adjustment does not apply; the descriptor or anatomy makes modifier 50 inappropriate.
- Assistant at surgery
- Statutory restriction: assistant at surgery is not paid.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons not permitted.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU14.62 · 55%
- Practice expense (office) RVU9.65 · 36%
- Malpractice RVU2.27 · 9%
338
Medicare services in 2024 · #3893 by national volume
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.
15840 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Maryland, from the same CMS release.
No office rate
Use 15842 for a microsurgical nerve graft in facial paralysis; 15840 describes fascial graft work.
$902.66–$1,026.54
67912 addresses correction of lagophthalmos with an implant. It treats eyelid closure, not facial support with a fascial graft.
Compare 15840 by payment locality
Find the payment area for your service address, then open its rate page for calculation inputs, release history and the percentage-of-Medicare tool. A city may cross payment-area boundaries; the ZIP lookup above helps resolve the location.
3 of 3 payment localities
Baltimore/Surr. Cntys →
Office / nonfacility
Unavailable
Facility
$935.77
Dc + Md/Va Suburbs →
Office / nonfacility
Unavailable
Facility
$978.77
Rest Of Maryland →
Office / nonfacility
Unavailable
Facility
$888.99
Need rates for a whole code list?
Fee-sheet and API access are in early access. Tell us which codes and locations your team needs.
15840 billing questions
How do I choose between 15840, 15841, and 15842?
Choose 15840 for a fascial graft, 15841 for a muscle graft, and 15842 for a microsurgical nerve graft used for facial paralysis. The operative report should support the graft type and procedure.
Does 15840 include harvesting the fascia?
The service includes obtaining the fascia used for the graft. Do not report a separate graft-harvest service for that work.
Should modifier 50 be used for grafts on both sides?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code, so modifier 50 should not be used.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during the 90 days after surgery.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for 15840. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
How does the multiple-procedure reduction affect 15840?
For multiple procedures in the same session, Medicare pays the highest-valued procedure in full and applies the standard 50% reduction to the others.
Where these rates come from
FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense, and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indices and the applicable conversion factor. Unavailable or separately priced services are labeled rather than assigned a made-up amount.
Source: RVU26D. Effective 2026-10-01 through the day before 2027-01-01.
1,57615837,,Exc excsv skin forearm/hand,A,,9.31,17.02,,8.67,,1.73,28.06,19.71,0,090,0.10,0.71,0.19,2,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
1,57715838,,Exc excsv submental fat pad,A,,8.04,8.44,NA,8.44,,1.48,17.96,17.96,0,090,0.10,0.71,0.19,2,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
1,57815839,,Exc excessive skn other area,A,,10.24,16.54,,8.25,,1.93,28.71,20.42,0,090,0.10,0.71,0.19,2,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
1,57915840,,Nerve palsy fascial graft,A,,14.62,9.65,NA,9.65,,2.27,26.54,26.54,0,090,0.10,0.71,0.19,2,0,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
1,58015841,,Nerve palsy muscle graft,A,,25.34,17.28,NA,17.28,,4.71,47.33,47.33,0,090,0.10,0.71,0.19,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
1,58115842,,Nerve palsy microsurg graft,A,,39.98,23.36,NA,23.36,,7.43,70.77,70.77,0,090,0.10,0.71,0.19,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
1,58215845,,Skin and muscle repair face,A,,13.96,12.42,NA,12.42,,2.59,28.97,28.97,0,090,0.10,0.71,0.19,2,0,2,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00