Billing code 15934: Ulcer excisionMedicare rate & RVUs in Oregon
Reports surgical excision of a sacral pressure ulcer when the resulting defect is closed with a skin flap rather than primary suturing.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 15934 in Oregon.
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 15934 covers
Code 15934 represents operative removal of a sacral pressure ulcer followed by closure with a skin flap. The surgeon excises the ulcer and uses adjacent skin and soft tissue to cover the defect. Plastic or reconstructive surgeons and other surgeons may perform this procedure in an operating room when flap coverage is selected. The code distinguishes skin-flap closure from direct primary closure and from reconstruction using a prepared muscle flap; the related sacral code for skin-flap closure with ostectomy is 15935.
Select the code when the operative report supports the sacral site, ulcer excision, and skin-flap closure. Documentation should identify the closure performed and any bone resection so the appropriate related code can be selected. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. An assistant at surgery is not paid, and 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.
Where 15934 pays more and less in Oregon
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Portland | Unavailable | $914.35 |
| Rest Of Oregon | Unavailable | $862.42 |
How the 15934 rate is calculated
Each of 15934’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 · 15934
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 13.34Practice expense 10.78Malpractice 2.48
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 15934
15934 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 15934
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 · 15934
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
15934 without 51 · national facility
$888.46
Ulcer excision
15934-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$444.23
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%).
15934 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
15934 vs 15931 vs 15935 vs 15936 vs 15922: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 15931Pressure ulcer excision
- Choose 15931 when the sacral ulcer defect is closed with primary suturing. Choose 15934 when the operative closure uses a skin flap.
- 15935Pressure ulcer surgery
- Both describe sacral ulcer excision with skin-flap closure, but 15935 includes ostectomy. Use 15934 when the procedure does not include ostectomy.
- 15936Pressure ulcer excision
- 15936 describes preparation of a muscle flap for the sacral defect. 15934 describes closure with a skin flap.
- 15922Pressure ulcer excision
- 15922 applies to a coccygeal pressure ulcer with skin-flap closure; 15934 is for the sacral site.
15934 billing questions
How does 15934 differ from 15931?
15934 is for sacral pressure-ulcer excision with skin-flap closure. 15931 describes the sacral procedure with primary suture closure.
When is 15935 a better choice?
Use 15935 when the sacral pressure-ulcer excision and skin-flap closure also include ostectomy. Code 15934 describes skin-flap closure without that bone resection.
Does 15934 include the skin-flap closure?
Yes. The procedure includes excision of the sacral pressure ulcer and closure with a skin flap; it is not a separate flap-only service.
Can modifier 50 be reported?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code.
Are assistant or co-surgeon services payable?
CMS does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
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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