$356.59–$382.57
Choose 38305 for a deep lymph node abscess and 38300 for a superficial lymph node abscess.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
38305 Lymph node drainage Medicare reimbursement rates in Michigan
Report deep lymph node abscess drainage for open surgical incision and evacuation of an infected collection involving a deep node. Compare 38305 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Michigan.
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 38305 in Michigan?
Michigan 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
No supported rate
Facility setting
$480.05–$523.64
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.
Surgical procedure
About 38305: Deep lymph node abscess drainage
Report deep lymph node abscess drainage for open surgical incision and evacuation of an infected collection involving a deep node.
This service is open drainage of an abscess involving a deep lymph node. A surgeon incises the involved area and evacuates the infected collection; a deep cervical or axillary nodal abscess is a typical clinical situation. The code distinguishes deep nodal drainage from drainage of a superficial lymph node abscess. It is generally performed in a facility setting by a surgeon when the collection requires operative access.
Report the deep-node service based on the documented lymph node site and depth, and describe the abscess and drainage performed. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 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 50% 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 38305
- 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 RVU6.51 · 44%
- Practice expense (office) RVU6.46 · 44%
- Malpractice RVU1.74 · 12%
27
Medicare services in 2024 · #5737 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.
38305 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Michigan, from the same CMS release.
$121.80–$128.61
10060 describes drainage of a simple skin or subcutaneous abscess. Use 38305 when the infected collection is in a deep lymph node.
$161.26–$170.29
38505 is percutaneous lymph node biopsy for diagnostic sampling; 38305 is open drainage of a deep nodal abscess.
Compare 38305 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
Detroit →
Office / nonfacility
Unavailable
Facility
$523.64
Rest Of Michigan →
Office / nonfacility
Unavailable
Facility
$480.05
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38305 billing questions
How does 38305 differ from 38300?
38305 is for drainage of a deep lymph node abscess; 38300 is the related code for a superficial lymph node abscess. Document the node’s site and depth to support the selection.
Can this code be used for a skin abscess near a lymph node?
No. The abscess must involve a lymph node. For a cutaneous or subcutaneous abscess, consider the applicable skin abscess drainage code instead.
Should modifier 50 be reported for abscesses on both sides?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code, so modifier 50 should not be used.
Is an assistant surgeon payable?
No. CMS applies a statutory restriction on assistant-at-surgery payment for this service. Co-surgeons and team surgery are also not permitted.
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 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.
4,73338242,,Transplt allo lymphocytes,A,,2.06,0.97,NA,0.97,,0.14,3.17,3.17,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,2,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
4,73438243,,Transplj hematopoietic boost,A,,2.08,0.82,NA,0.82,,0.14,3.04,3.04,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,2,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
4,73538300,,Drainage lymph node lesion,A,,2.30,8.42,,3.56,,0.61,11.33,6.47,0,010,0.10,0.80,0.10,2,0,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
4,73638305,,Drainage lymph node lesion,A,,6.51,6.46,NA,6.46,,1.74,14.71,14.71,0,090,0.11,0.73,0.16,2,0,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
4,73738308,,Incision of lymph channels,A,,6.64,5.25,NA,5.25,,1.51,13.40,13.40,0,090,0.11,0.73,0.16,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
4,73838380,,Thoracic duct procedure,A,,8.25,5.94,NA,5.94,,1.33,15.52,15.52,0,090,0.11,0.73,0.16,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
4,73938381,,Thoracic duct procedure,A,,13.05,6.84,NA,6.84,,3.21,23.10,23.10,0,090,0.11,0.73,0.16,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00