CPT code 38720: Neck node removal2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Minnesota
Reports comprehensive removal of cervical lymph nodes for treatment or staging when the surgeon performs a complete neck dissection rather than a limited nodal procedure.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 38720 in Minnesota.
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 38720 covers
This code represents a comprehensive operation to remove cervical lymph-node tissue from the neck, typically for treatment or staging of head and neck cancer. An otolaryngologist, head and neck surgeon, or surgical oncologist may perform it in an operating room. The operative report should establish the cervical site and describe the extent of the nodal dissection; a focused removal of a limited nodal group is not the same service.
Report the code for the complete cervical dissection documented, distinguishing it from a limited suprahyoid procedure and from the modified radical neck dissection represented by 38724. 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 the others at 50%. For bilateral performance, 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.
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.
38720 in Minnesota
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | Unavailable | $1,115.73 |
How the 38720 rate is calculated
Each of 38720’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 · 38720
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work21.40
21.40 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense10.57
10.57 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice3.81
3.81 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
35.7800
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$1,195.08
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 38720
38720 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 38720
Neck node 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) | 2 | Paid. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.11/0.73/0.16 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 38720
Neck node 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
38720 without 50 · national facility
$1,195.08
Neck node removal
38720-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$1,792.62
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).
38720 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 38700Neck lymphadenectomy
- Use 38700 for a limited suprahyoid nodal dissection. Code 38720 describes a comprehensive cervical dissection.
- 38724Neck dissection
- Code 38724 is for a modified radical neck dissection. Match the code to the procedure and extent documented in the operative report.
- 38745Axillary dissection
- Code 38745 describes axillary, not cervical, lymph-node dissection. The operative site determines which code applies.
38720 billing questions
How does 38720 differ from 38700?
38720 represents a comprehensive cervical nodal dissection. Code 38700 is for a more limited dissection focused on the suprahyoid nodes.
How does 38720 differ from 38724?
Code 38724 identifies a modified radical neck dissection. Use the code that matches the documented operative procedure and extent, rather than selecting by diagnosis alone.
Can modifier 50 be used for bilateral neck dissection?
When the cervical procedure is performed bilaterally, CMS lists modifier 50 payment at 150%. The record should support the procedure on both sides.
What postoperative care is included in the global period?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; CMS does not permit team surgery.
What happens when another procedure is performed in the same session?
CMS pays the highest-valued procedure in full and the other procedure or procedures at 50% under the standard multiple procedure reduction.
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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