10060 is the general code for drainage of a simple or single abscess. Use 55100 for drainage when the abscess is in scrotal tissue.
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CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
55100 Scrotal abscess drainage Medicare reimbursement rates in Massachusetts
Drainage of a scrotal abscess is reported when the clinician opens and evacuates an abscess arising in scrotal tissue. Compare 55100 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 55100 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
$255.12–$280.24
2 of 2 localities have a supported rate.
Facility setting
$166.49–$179.74
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.
Urologic procedure
About 55100: Incision and drainage of scrotal abscess
Drainage of a scrotal abscess is reported when the clinician opens and evacuates an abscess arising in scrotal tissue.
This service treats a localized collection of infected material in the scrotum by opening the abscess and allowing it to drain. It is commonly performed by a urologist or other surgeon in an office, emergency, or operating-room setting, depending on the patient’s condition and the extent of infection. The target is scrotal tissue; an abscess centered in the epididymis or another deeper structure calls for a site-specific procedure.
Select 55100 based on the abscess location and the drainage performed, not merely scrotal swelling, cellulitis, or exploration. Document the site, findings, and procedure performed. CMS assigns a 10-day minor-procedure global period, so related postoperative visits during that period are included. When another procedure is 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 service; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 55100
- Global period
- Minor procedure with a 10-day global period: related postoperative visits for 10 days 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 RVU2.39 · 32%
- Practice expense (office) RVU4.66 · 63%
- Malpractice RVU0.38 · 5%
1.1K
Medicare services in 2024 · #2912 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.
55100 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Massachusetts, from the same CMS release.
10061 describes drainage of complicated or multiple abscesses under the general abscess codes. 55100 identifies the scrotal site.
54700 is directed to an abscess of the epididymis. Use 55100 when the drained abscess is in scrotal tissue.
Scrotal exploration
55110 is scrotal exploration. It is not the drainage service represented by 55100 when a scrotal abscess is opened and drained.
Compare 55100 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
$280.24
Facility
$179.74
Rest Of Massachusetts →
Office / nonfacility
$255.12
Facility
$166.49
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55100 billing questions
When is 55100 preferred over 10060?
Use 55100 when the procedure drains an abscess in scrotal tissue. Code 10060 describes drainage of a simple or single abscess when the general abscess code fits the service.
What code applies to an abscess centered in the epididymis?
55100 is for an abscess of the scrotum. An abscess centered in the epididymis is a different anatomic target; compare 54700.
Can modifier 50 be reported for bilateral scrotal abscess drainage?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for 55100, so do not append modifier 50.
Are related postoperative visits separately reported during the global period?
Related postoperative visits during the 10-day global period are included in 55100.
How is 55100 paid when another procedure is performed in the same session?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for 55100.
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.
