Billing code 27372: Foreign body removalMedicare rate & RVUs in Massachusetts
Reports surgical extraction of a deeply embedded foreign object in the thigh or knee region, when the operative work goes beyond superficial soft-tissue retrieval.
Medicare pays $657.40–$726.09 for 27372 in the office in Massachusetts, from Rest Of Massachusetts to Metropolitan Boston. 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 27372 covers
A surgeon uses an incision to locate and extract a deeply embedded object from soft tissues of the thigh or knee region, such as a retained metal or glass fragment after penetrating trauma. The target is deeper than a subcutaneous splinter; the operative note should make the object’s anatomic location and depth clear. The service is typically performed in an operating room or ambulatory surgery setting rather than as a simple office extraction.
Report 27372 for deep regional retrieval; superficial subcutaneous extraction and arthroscopic removal of an intra-articular knee body follow different code pathways. Document the indication, site, depth, dissection, and removal. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity; 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 27372 pays more and less in Massachusetts
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Boston | $726.09 | $430.58 |
| Rest Of Massachusetts | $657.40 | $396.78 |
How the 27372 rate is calculated
Each of 27372’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 · 27372
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work5.08
5.08 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense12.98
12.98 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.07
1.07 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
19.1300
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$638.96
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 27372
27372 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 27372
Foreign body 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) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| 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) | 0.10/0.69/0.21 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 27372
Foreign body 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
27372 without 50 · national office
$638.96
Foreign body removal
27372-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$958.44
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).
27372 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 20525Foreign body removal
- Use 27372 for deep removal in the thigh or knee region. 20525 describes deep or complicated retrieval from muscle or tendon sheath; the documented operative target helps distinguish them.
- 10120Foreign body removal
- 10120 is for simple removal from subcutaneous tissue. 27372 is for a deeply embedded object in the thigh or knee region requiring deeper surgical dissection.
- 29874Knee arthroscopy
- 29874 is an arthroscopic knee procedure for removing a loose body or foreign body within the joint. 27372 describes deep regional removal rather than arthroscopic intra-articular retrieval.
27372 billing questions
How does 27372 differ from 20525?
27372 identifies deep foreign-body removal in the thigh or knee region. 20525 describes deep or complicated removal from muscle or tendon sheath; select based on the operative target and applicable code descriptor.
Does 27372 cover arthroscopic removal of a loose body from the knee?
No. Arthroscopic removal of an intra-articular knee loose body or foreign body is represented by 29874; 27372 is for deep removal in the thigh or knee region outside that arthroscopic service.
When would a superficial foreign-body code be more appropriate?
For removal from subcutaneous tissue, consider 10120 rather than 27372. The documentation should establish whether the object was superficial or required deep dissection.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
How are bilateral procedures and assistants handled?
Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity; 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 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
Fee sheets
Put 27372 and the rest of your codes on one sheet
Build a fee sheet from your own code list at your locality, put your payer contracts beside Medicare, and see what changed each quarter.
Build my fee sheetOr price your code list free →