CPT code 15951: Pressure ulcer excision2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Oregon
Reports excision of a pressure ulcer over the greater trochanter with removal of underlying bone and closure by primary suture.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 15951 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 15951 covers
This operation removes a pressure ulcer over the greater trochanter and includes ostectomy of underlying bone, followed by primary suture closure. It is typically performed by a surgeon in an operating-room setting for a patient with a deep, chronic pressure injury over the hip, such as one associated with prolonged immobility or wheelchair use. The operative plan must support both the bony resection and closure by direct suturing; flap-based reconstruction is represented by other codes in this family.
Select this code when the documented site is trochanteric and the procedure includes ostectomy with primary suture closure. The operative report should identify the ulcer location, excision, bone removal, and closure method. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued is paid in full and others at 50%. Bilateral adjustment is not appropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity, co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is 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 15951 pays more and less in Oregon
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Portland | Unavailable | $853.65 |
| Rest Of Oregon | Unavailable | $801.43 |
How the 15951 rate is calculated
Each of 15951’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 · 15951
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work11.29
11.29 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense11.28
11.28 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice2.09
2.09 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
24.6600
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$823.67
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 15951
15951 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 15951
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) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| 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 · 15951
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
15951 without 51 · national facility
$823.67
Pressure ulcer excision
15951-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$411.84
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%).
15951 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 15950Pressure ulcer excision
- Use 15950 for trochanteric ulcer excision with primary suture closure when ostectomy is not performed. The inclusion of bone removal distinguishes 15951.
- 15953Pressure ulcer surgery
- Both include trochanteric ulcer excision and ostectomy, but 15953 describes skin flap closure rather than primary suture closure.
- 15958Pressure ulcer surgery
- Both include trochanteric ulcer excision and ostectomy. 15958 involves preparation of a muscle or myocutaneous flap, not primary suture closure.
15951 billing questions
How does this differ from 15950?
Both codes describe excision of a trochanteric pressure ulcer with primary suture closure. Choose 15951 when the operation also includes ostectomy; 15950 is the option without ostectomy.
Is flap reconstruction included?
No. This code describes primary suture closure. A procedure using a skin flap or preparation of a muscle or myocutaneous flap belongs to a different code in the family.
What should the operative report document?
Document the trochanteric ulcer site, excision, ostectomy, and primary suture closure. The record should make clear that bone was removed as part of the procedure.
Can modifier 50 be used for bilateral ulcers?
CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply to this code, and modifier 50 is inappropriate under the listed rule.
How is an assistant at surgery handled?
Assistant-at-surgery payment is available only when medical necessity is documented. Co-surgeon payment also requires supporting documentation.
What happens when another procedure is performed in the same session?
Under the standard multiple procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are paid at 50%. This code has a 90-day global period.
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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