Billing code 15950: Pressure ulcer excisionMedicare rate & RVUs in Nevada
Excision of a pressure ulcer over the trochanter with direct suture closure, reported when the surgeon closes the excision site without a flap.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 15950 in Nevada.
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 15950 covers
The surgeon removes a pressure ulcer over the trochanter, the bony prominence at the upper thigh, and closes the resulting wound by bringing the edges together with sutures. This approach is used when the site can be closed directly; it is distinct from closure using a skin or muscle flap. Surgeons performing this work may include plastic, reconstructive, or general surgeons, typically in an operating-room setting for a patient with a longstanding pressure wound.
Report 15950 when the operative documentation supports trochanteric location, ulcer excision, and direct suture closure. The code has a 90-day global period, including 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 the others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery; 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.
15950 in Nevada**
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Nevada** | Unavailable | $580.71 |
How the 15950 rate is calculated
Each of 15950’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 · 15950
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 7.83Practice expense 8.34Malpractice 1.45
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 15950
15950 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 15950
Pressure ulcer excision
| 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 · 15950
Pressure ulcer excision
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
15950 without 51 · national facility
$588.52
Pressure ulcer excision
15950-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$294.26
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%).
15950 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
15950 vs 15951 vs 15952 vs 15920: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 15951Pressure ulcer excision
- Both concern a trochanteric pressure ulcer, but 15951 is the ostectomy variant. Use 15950 when the documented service is excision with direct suture closure without that bony work.
- 15952Pressure ulcer excision
- 15952 applies when closure uses a flap. 15950 describes direct approximation and suture closure of the excision site.
- 15920Pressure ulcer excision
- The closure method is similar, but 15920 is for a coccygeal pressure ulcer; 15950 is for a trochanteric ulcer.
15950 billing questions
When is 15950 appropriate instead of a trochanteric flap code?
Use 15950 when the surgeon excises the trochanteric pressure ulcer and closes the site directly with sutures. A flap-closure code is used when the operative report documents flap reconstruction.
Can the primary suture closure be billed separately?
The direct closure is part of the service represented by 15950. The code describes ulcer excision with primary suture closure, rather than excision alone.
What documentation supports 15950?
The operative report should identify the ulcer as trochanteric, document its excision, and describe direct closure with sutures. It should distinguish direct closure from flap reconstruction.
Should modifier 50 be reported for ulcers on both sides?
No. The CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply to 15950, and modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code.
How does the 90-day global period affect follow-up care?
The global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. Related routine postoperative care during that period is included in the surgical package.
Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be paid for 15950?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code. 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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