Billing code 60000: Cyst drainageMedicare rate & RVUs in Nevada
Operative drainage of an infected thyroglossal duct cyst is reported when a surgeon incises the congenital midline neck lesion to evacuate infection.
Medicare pays $185.77 for 60000 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 60000 covers
billing code 60000 describes operative drainage of an infected thyroglossal duct cyst, a congenital midline neck lesion that may become tender, swollen, or fluctuant. An otolaryngologist or head-and-neck surgeon, pediatric surgeon, or general surgeon typically makes an incision to release infected contents and manage the cavity. This service drains the cyst; it does not remove the cyst and duct tract. It is performed in a procedural or operating-room setting when the infection requires surgical drainage.
Report the code when the operative record identifies an infected thyroglossal duct cyst and documents incision and drainage. Drainage of a separate skin abscess is not this service, and definitive cyst excision is a different procedure. CMS assigns a 10-day global period, including related postoperative visits during that period. For multiple procedures in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity; 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.
60000 in Nevada**
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Nevada** | $185.77 | $144.31 |
How the 60000 rate is calculated
Each of 60000’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 · 60000
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work1.76
1.76 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense3.59
3.59 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.25
0.25 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
5.6000
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$187.05
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 60000
60000 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 60000
Cyst drainage
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 010 | Minor procedure: the day of the procedure plus 10 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) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| 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) | 0.10/0.80/0.10 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 60000
Cyst drainage
10-day global period ends
Oct 11, 2026
Covers Oct 1, 2026 through Oct 11, 2026 (11 days).
Visit on Oct 31, 2026
After the global period ends: visits and procedures are billed normally.
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
60000 without 51 · national office
$187.05
Cyst drainage
60000-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$93.53
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%).
60000 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 60280Duct lesion excision
- 60000 drains an infected thyroglossal duct cyst; 60280 represents excision of the cyst or sinus rather than drainage.
- 60281Duct lesion excision
- Use 60281 for excision of a recurrent thyroglossal duct cyst or sinus. Code 60000 is for incision and drainage of an infected cyst.
- 10060Abscess drainage
- 10060 is for drainage of a simple cutaneous abscess. Code 60000 identifies drainage of an infected thyroglossal duct cyst.
- 10061Abscess drainage
- 10061 applies to complicated or multiple cutaneous abscesses; it does not identify drainage of an infected thyroglossal duct cyst.
60000 billing questions
How is drainage different from thyroglossal duct cyst excision?
60000 is for incision and drainage of an infected cyst. Excision removes the cyst and tract and is reported with a different code.
Should 60000 be reported with a general abscess drainage code?
Use 60000 for drainage of the infected thyroglossal duct cyst itself. A separate abscess at another site must be evaluated on its own.
Are postoperative visits separately payable during the global period?
Related postoperative visits during the 10-day global period are included in the procedure.
Can modifier 50 be used?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code.
What documentation supports assistant-at-surgery payment?
The record must document the medical necessity of the assistant. Co-surgeon and team-surgery billing are not permitted under the CMS rules for this code.
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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