Billing code 17286: Lesion destructionMedicare rate & RVUs in Oregon
Reports destruction of a malignant lesion over 4 cm on the face, ears, eyelids, nose, or lips using a destructive treatment method.
Medicare pays $346.72–$371.62 for 17286 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 17286 covers
This service treats a malignant skin lesion in the face, ear, eyelid, nose, or lip region by destroying the lesion rather than removing it as an excision specimen. Methods may include electrosurgery, cryosurgery, laser treatment, or chemical destruction. Dermatologists and other qualified physicians commonly perform it in an office procedure room; it may also be performed in a facility. A biopsy may establish the diagnosis before treatment, since destruction itself does not provide an intact specimen for pathologic examination.
Select the code by the specified anatomic group and the lesion diameter; this code is for a lesion over 4.0 cm. Document the malignant diagnosis, treated site, size, and method. Related postoperative visits during the 10-day global period are included. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is not appropriate for this service. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for it, 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 17286 pays more and less in Oregon
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Portland | $371.62 | $229.86 |
| Rest Of Oregon | $346.72 | $219.64 |
How the 17286 rate is calculated
Each of 17286’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 · 17286
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 4.37Practice expense 5.71Malpractice 0.46
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 17286
17286 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 17286
Lesion destruction
| 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 · 17286
Lesion destruction
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
17286 without 51 · national office
$352.05
Lesion destruction
17286-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$176.03
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%).
17286 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
17286 vs 17284 vs 17276 vs 11646: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 17284Malignant lesion destruction
- This code is for a facial-group malignant lesion over 4.0 cm; 17284 covers the same sites when the lesion measures 3.1 to 4.0 cm.
- 17276Skin lesion destruction
- The size threshold is the same, but 17276 is for the scalp, neck, hands, feet, or genitalia group rather than the face, ears, eyelids, nose, or lips.
- 11646Malignant lesion excision
- Use 11646 when a qualifying malignant lesion is excised with margins. Use 17286 when the lesion is destroyed rather than removed as an excision specimen.
17286 billing questions
How is this code distinguished from 17284?
Both codes concern destruction of a malignant lesion in the face, ear, eyelid, nose, or lip group. Use 17286 when the lesion diameter is over 4.0 cm; 17284 is for the 3.1-to-4.0 cm range.
When would 17276 be more appropriate?
17276 is for a malignant lesion over 4.0 cm in its separate anatomic group, including the scalp, neck, hands, feet, or genitalia. Choose by the treated site, not size alone.
Can destruction and a biopsy be reported together?
A separately performed diagnostic biopsy may be reported when it is distinct from the destruction and the documentation supports it. Destruction does not itself provide a specimen for histologic examination.
Should modifier 50 be used for lesions on both sides?
No. Modifier 50 is not appropriate for this service. Document each treated site and lesion so the reported service reflects the actual treatment.
How are other procedures in the same session paid?
CMS applies the standard multiple-procedure reduction: the highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures performed in that session are paid at 50%.
Are postoperative visits included?
Related postoperative visits during the 10-day global period are included in the procedure payment.
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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