Billing code 15050: Pinch graftMedicare rate & RVUs in Nevada
Report a pinch graft when one or more small skin fragments are placed to cover a recipient area no larger than 2 cm in diameter.
Medicare pays $601.15 for 15050 in the office in Nevada (Nevada**). 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 15050 covers
A pinch graft covers a very small skin defect using one or more small pieces of the patient’s own skin transferred to the wound. Surgeons, including plastic and dermatologic surgeons, may use the technique for a small wound or ulcer when this graft method is selected. The code is defined by the size of the covered area, not by the number of skin fragments placed.
Document the recipient site, the covered area’s diameter, the graft technique, and the clinical reason for grafting. This major surgery code includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of 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 multiple procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code; 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.
15050 in Nevada**
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Nevada** | $601.15 | $423.62 |
How the 15050 rate is calculated
Each of 15050’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 · 15050
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work5.43
5.43 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense11.79
11.79 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.92
0.92 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
18.1400
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$605.89
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 15050
15050 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 15050
Pinch graft
| 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) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 1 | Not paid (statutory restriction). |
| 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) | 0.10/0.71/0.19 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 15050
Pinch graft
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 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
15050 without 51 · national office
$605.89
Pinch graft
15050-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$302.95
When this isn’t the highest-valued procedure in the session, Medicare pays 50% of its fee schedule amount (the highest is paid at 100%).
15050 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 15100Skin graft
- 15050 describes the pinch-graft method for a recipient area up to 2 cm in diameter. 15100 describes a split-thickness graft for the trunk, arms, or legs.
- 15120Skin graft
- Choose 15120 for a split-thickness graft at its specified anatomic sites, such as the face, hands, or feet; 15050 is selected for the small-area pinch-graft technique.
- 15002Wound preparation
- 15002 reports recipient-site preparation on the trunk, arms, or legs, not placement of the pinch graft itself.
15050 billing questions
When should I choose 15050 instead of a split-thickness graft code?
Use 15050 for a small recipient area up to 2 cm in diameter treated with the pinch-graft technique. Split-thickness graft codes describe a different graft method and are selected according to the recipient site.
Does each pinch of skin support a separate unit?
No. The code covers one or multiple skin fragments used to cover the qualifying small area; the number of fragments does not make each one a separate service.
Can wound-bed preparation be reported with the graft?
A separately performed and documented wound-preparation service may be coded using the applicable site-specific preparation code. For example, 15002 is for preparation involving the trunk, arms, or legs.
Should modifier 50 be appended for grafts on both sides?
No. The CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply, and modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be paid?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for 15050. 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
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