No office rate
38724 describes a modified radical dissection that preserves selected nonlymphatic structures. Use 38720 when the documented cervical lymphadenectomy has a different, more extensive operative plan.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
38724 Neck dissection Medicare reimbursement rates in Michigan
Reports a modified radical cervical lymphadenectomy for removing cervical lymph nodes, typically for metastatic head and neck cancer, while preserving selected nonlymphatic structures. Compare 38724 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 38724 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
$1247.19–$1334.52
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 oncology
About 38724: Modified radical neck lymphadenectomy
Reports a modified radical cervical lymphadenectomy for removing cervical lymph nodes, typically for metastatic head and neck cancer, while preserving selected nonlymphatic structures.
A modified radical neck dissection removes cervical lymph-node tissue while preserving one or more nonlymphatic structures that would be sacrificed in a more extensive operation, such as the spinal accessory nerve, internal jugular vein, or sternocleidomastoid muscle. Head and neck surgeons commonly perform it in a hospital operating room for cervical nodal metastases from cancers such as oral cavity, oropharyngeal, laryngeal, or thyroid malignancies. The operative report should establish the dissection performed and identify preserved structures when relevant.
Select this code from the actual operative extent and technique, not simply the cancer diagnosis or the number of positive nodes. Report the neck dissection separately from other procedures only when supported as a distinct service. This major surgery has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. In a same-session multiple-procedure claim, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 38724
- 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 procedure with modifier 50 is paid at 150%.
- Assistant at surgery
- Assistant at surgery may be paid.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons paid only with supporting documentation.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU23.35 · 62%
- Practice expense (office) RVU10.76 · 28%
- Malpractice RVU3.69 · 10%
9.5K
Medicare services in 2024 · #1495 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.
38724 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Michigan, from the same CMS release.
No office rate
38700 is for suprahyoid lymphadenectomy, a more limited neck-node procedure. It is not the code for a modified radical cervical dissection.
$77.35–$81.71
38792 reports injection of tracer to help identify a sentinel node. It does not report removal of cervical lymph-node tissue by modified radical dissection.
Compare 38724 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
$1334.52
Rest Of Michigan →
Office / nonfacility
Unavailable
Facility
$1247.19
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38724 billing questions
How does 38724 differ from 38720?
Use 38724 for a modified radical neck dissection that preserves one or more nonlymphatic structures. Choose 38720 when the operative approach is a complete cervical lymphadenectomy of a different extent.
Does 38724 include the primary tumor resection?
The code describes the cervical lymphadenectomy, not the primary tumor operation. Report another procedure only when the operative documentation supports it as a distinct service.
How is bilateral neck dissection reported?
For bilateral performance, report modifier 50; CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%. The operative record should document dissection on both sides.
What documentation supports 38724?
Document the cervical nodal dissection performed, its extent, and the nonlymphatic structures preserved. The operative details should support a modified radical dissection rather than a more limited or different neck procedure.
How does the multiple-procedure reduction affect 38724?
When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, CMS pays the highest-valued procedure in full and the others at 50%. The neck dissection's rank depends on the values of the procedures reported for that session.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; team surgery is 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.
4,75738589,,Unlisted laps px lymphtc sys,C,,0.00,0.00,,0.00,,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,YYY,0.00,0.00,0.00,2,1,2,1,1,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
4,75838700,,Removal of lymph nodes neck,A,,12.49,6.84,NA,6.84,,1.93,21.26,21.26,0,090,0.11,0.73,0.16,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
4,75938720,,Removal of lymph nodes neck,A,,21.40,10.57,NA,10.57,,3.81,35.78,35.78,0,090,0.11,0.73,0.16,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
4,76038724,,Removal of lymph nodes neck,A,,23.35,10.76,NA,10.76,,3.69,37.80,37.80,0,090,0.11,0.73,0.16,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
4,76138740,,Remove armpit lymph nodes,A,,10.43,7.06,NA,7.06,,2.68,20.17,20.17,0,090,0.11,0.73,0.16,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
4,76238745,,Remove armpit lymph nodes,A,,13.52,8.22,NA,8.22,,3.41,25.15,25.15,0,090,0.11,0.73,0.16,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
4,76338746,,Remove thoracic lymph nodes,A,,4.02,0.81,NA,0.81,,1.02,5.85,5.85,0,ZZZ,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00