Billing code 23071: Shoulder mass excisionMedicare rate & RVUs in Massachusetts
Removal of a subcutaneous soft-tissue mass in the shoulder region when its size is 3 cm or larger, such as a sizable lipoma.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 23071 in Massachusetts.
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 23071 covers
A surgeon removes a soft-tissue mass located beneath the skin in the shoulder region, without extending into deeper tissue. A common clinical example is excision of a sizable lipoma. The service may be performed in an office procedure room or a hospital or ambulatory surgery facility, depending on the mass and the planned procedure. The code is for excision, not simply sampling tissue to establish a diagnosis.
Choose this code when the mass is subcutaneous and measures 3 cm or larger; depth and mass size distinguish it from nearby shoulder excision codes. The operative report should identify the shoulder site, document that the mass was subcutaneous, and record its size and removal. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including 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 may be made; 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.
Where 23071 pays more and less in Massachusetts
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Boston | Unavailable | $442.80 |
| Rest Of Massachusetts | Unavailable | $409.90 |
How the 23071 rate is calculated
Each of 23071’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 · 23071
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work5.76
5.76 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense5.06
5.06 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.37
1.37 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
12.1900
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$407.16
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 23071
23071 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 23071
Shoulder mass excision
| 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) | 2 | Paid. |
| 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 · 23071
Shoulder mass excision
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
23071 without 50 · national facility
$407.16
Shoulder mass excision
23071-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$610.74
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).
23071 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 23075Shoulder excision
- Both cover subcutaneous shoulder-region mass excision, but 23075 is for a mass under 3 cm; 23071 is for one measuring 3 cm or larger.
- 23073Shoulder tumor excision
- Use 23073 for a deep shoulder-region mass measuring 5 cm or larger. This code is for a subcutaneous mass, regardless of that deeper-code size threshold.
- 23076Shoulder tumor excision
- Use 23076 for a deep shoulder-region mass under 5 cm. This code applies when the mass is subcutaneous and at least 3 cm.
- 23065Shoulder biopsy
- 23065 describes shoulder soft-tissue biopsy rather than excision of the mass. Choose the biopsy code when tissue is sampled without removing the mass.
23071 billing questions
How does this differ from 23075?
Both describe excision of a subcutaneous soft-tissue mass in the shoulder region. Use 23071 for a mass measuring 3 cm or larger and 23075 for one under 3 cm.
When should a deeper shoulder mass code be considered?
Use the deeper-mass code family when the mass is below the subcutaneous tissue rather than beneath the skin. Within that family, size distinguishes 23073 from 23076.
Does a diagnostic biopsy alone support 23071?
No. This code represents excision of the mass; diagnostic tissue sampling without excision is represented by a shoulder biopsy code, such as 23065 or 23066, as appropriate to depth.
What should the operative note document?
Document the shoulder-region site, the mass's subcutaneous location, its size, and its excision. The mass size—not the incision length—determines the size category.
How are bilateral procedures and other same-session procedures paid?
CMS pays bilateral reporting with modifier 50 at 150%. For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are paid at 50%.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
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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