$943.17–$1,032.80
15050 describes the pinch-graft method for a recipient area up to 2 cm in diameter. 15100 describes a split-thickness graft for the trunk, arms, or legs.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
15050 Pinch graft Medicare reimbursement rates in Massachusetts
Report a pinch graft when one or more small skin fragments are placed to cover a recipient area no larger than 2 cm in diameter. Compare 15050 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Massachusetts.
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 15050 in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts has 2 payment localities in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the 2 payment areas shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
$623.43–$686.34
2 of 2 localities have a supported rate.
Facility setting
$436.67–$474.58
2 of 2 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.
Skin grafting
About 15050: Small-area pinch skin graft
Report a pinch graft when one or more small skin fragments are placed to cover a recipient area no larger than 2 cm in diameter.
A pinch graft covers a very small skin defect using one or more small pieces of the patient’s own skin transferred to the wound. Surgeons, including plastic and dermatologic surgeons, may use the technique for a small wound or ulcer when this graft method is selected. The code is defined by the size of the covered area, not by the number of skin fragments placed.
Document the recipient site, the covered area’s diameter, the graft technique, and the clinical reason for grafting. This major surgery code includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. 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 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 15050
- 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 RVU5.43 · 30%
- Practice expense (office) RVU11.79 · 65%
- Malpractice RVU0.92 · 5%
364
Medicare services in 2024 · #3813 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.
15050 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Massachusetts, from the same CMS release.
$894.26–$976.53
Choose 15120 for a split-thickness graft at its specified anatomic sites, such as the face, hands, or feet; 15050 is selected for the small-area pinch-graft technique.
$372.35–$408.71
15002 reports recipient-site preparation on the trunk, arms, or legs, not placement of the pinch graft itself.
Compare 15050 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.
2 of 2 payment localities
Metropolitan Boston →
Office / nonfacility
$686.34
Facility
$474.58
Rest Of Massachusetts →
Office / nonfacility
$623.43
Facility
$436.67
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15050 billing questions
When should I choose 15050 instead of a split-thickness graft code?
Use 15050 for a small recipient area up to 2 cm in diameter treated with the pinch-graft technique. Split-thickness graft codes describe a different graft method and are selected according to the recipient site.
Does each pinch of skin support a separate unit?
No. The code covers one or multiple skin fragments used to cover the qualifying small area; the number of fragments does not make each one a separate service.
Can wound-bed preparation be reported with the graft?
A separately performed and documented wound-preparation service may be coded using the applicable site-specific preparation code. For example, 15002 is for preparation involving the trunk, arms, or legs.
Should modifier 50 be appended for grafts on both sides?
No. The CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply, and modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code.
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 surgeon or co-surgeon be paid?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for 15050. 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 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.
1,4811503F,,Pt queried symp resp insuff,I,,0.00,0.00,,0.00,,0.00,0.00,0.00,9,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,9,9,9,9,9,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
1,48215040,,Harvest cultured skin graft,A,,1.95,5.86,,1.08,,0.38,8.19,3.41,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
1,4831504F,,Pt has resp insufficiency,I,,0.00,0.00,,0.00,,0.00,0.00,0.00,9,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,9,9,9,9,9,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
1,48415050,,Pinch graft up to 2 cm diam,A,,5.43,11.79,,6.48,,0.92,18.14,12.83,0,090,0.10,0.71,0.19,2,0,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
1,4851505F,,Pt has no resp insufficiency,I,,0.00,0.00,,0.00,,0.00,0.00,0.00,9,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,9,9,9,9,9,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
1,48615100,,Splt agrft t/a/l 1st 100sqcm,A,,9.65,16.06,,8.21,,1.91,27.62,19.77,0,090,0.10,0.71,0.19,2,0,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
1,48715101,,Splt agrft t/a/l ea addl 100,A,,1.68,3.97,,0.95,,0.38,6.03,3.01,0,ZZZ,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00