Billing code 11600: Malignant lesion excisionMedicare rate & RVUs in Oregon
Reports excision of a malignant skin lesion on the trunk, arm, or leg when the lesion and required margins have an excised diameter of 0.5 cm or less.
Medicare pays $195.77–$212.80 for 11600 in the office in Oregon, from Rest Of Oregon to Portland. 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 11600 covers
This code describes removal of a malignant skin lesion from the trunk, an arm, or a leg, with margins included in the measured excision. Dermatologists, surgeons, and other qualified clinicians may perform it in an office procedure room or a facility. The size category is based on the lesion’s greatest clinical diameter plus the margins taken, not just the visible lesion. Typical cases include excision of a small malignant lesion on the back, torso, or extremity.
Report the code when the excised diameter is 0.5 cm or less and the site falls within this anatomic group. Documentation should identify the site, lesion dimensions, margins or excised diameter, and clinical or pathology support for malignancy. Simple closure is included; a separately documented intermediate or complex repair may be reported under its repair code. The procedure has a 10-day global period, including related postoperative visits during that period. When multiple procedures occur in one session, the highest-valued is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate; assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted, and co-surgeon and team-surgery billing 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.
Where 11600 pays more and less in Oregon
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Portland | $212.80 | $112.98 |
| Rest Of Oregon | $195.77 | $106.28 |
How the 11600 rate is calculated
Each of 11600’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 · 11600
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 1.59Practice expense 4.14Malpractice 0.21
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 11600
11600 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 11600
Malignant lesion excision
| 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) | 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) | 0.10/0.80/0.10 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 11600
Malignant lesion excision
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
11600 without 51 · national office
$198.40
Malignant lesion excision
11600-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$99.20
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%).
11600 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
11600 vs 11601 vs 11620 vs 11640 vs 11400: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 11601Malignant skin excision
- Both codes cover malignant lesions on the trunk, arms, or legs. Choose 11601 when the lesion plus margins measures 0.6–1 cm rather than 0.5 cm or less.
- 11620Skin excision
- The size category is similar, but 11620 applies to the scalp, neck, hands, feet, or genitalia rather than the trunk, arms, or legs.
- 11640Lesion excision
- This code is for the face, ears, eyelids, nose, and lips. Use 11600 for the trunk, arms, or legs.
- 11400Skin lesion excision
- 11400 is for excision of a benign lesion on the trunk, arms, or legs in the same small size range; 11600 is for a malignant lesion.
11600 billing questions
How do I distinguish this code from 11601?
Use 11600 when the lesion plus required margins measures 0.5 cm or less. Code 11601 begins at an excised diameter of 0.6 cm.
Does the measurement include the margins?
Yes. Select the size category using the lesion’s greatest clinical diameter plus the margins removed, rather than the lesion alone.
Can I bill separately for closing the excision?
Simple closure is included in the excision. A separately documented intermediate or complex repair may be reported when the repair service meets its code requirements.
Can modifier 50 be used for lesions on both sides?
No. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. The CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply.
Are assistant or co-surgeon services payable?
Assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted for this code. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
Are related postoperative visits included?
Yes. The 10-day global period includes related postoperative visits during those 10 days.
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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