Billing code 60300: Cyst aspirationMedicare rate & RVUs in Oregon
Needle aspiration or injection of a thyroid cyst treats a fluid-filled lesion, such as one causing neck pressure or a visible lump.
Medicare pays $101.85–$110.30 for 60300 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 60300 covers
Code 60300 covers needle evacuation of fluid from a cystic thyroid lesion and/or injection into the cyst. It is used when a thyroid cyst is being treated as a cyst, such as one causing neck pressure or a visible lump. An endocrinologist, thyroid surgeon, or radiologist may perform the procedure in an office or procedural setting. It is distinct from needle sampling performed to obtain cells or tissue for diagnosis.
Report the service when the documented target is a thyroid cyst and aspiration or injection is performed. Documentation should identify the lesion, describe the procedure, and state whether fluid was withdrawn or material was injected. The 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care. When another procedure is 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 inappropriate. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery; 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 60300 pays more and less in Oregon
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Portland | $110.30 | $42.02 |
| Rest Of Oregon | $101.85 | $40.63 |
How the 60300 rate is calculated
Each of 60300’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 · 60300
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 0.95Practice expense 2.03Malpractice 0.11
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 60300
The CMS indicators that decide how 60300 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 60300
Cyst aspiration
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 000 | Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is 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. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
60300 without 51 · national office
$103.21
Cyst aspiration
60300-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$51.61
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%).
60300 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
60300 vs 10005 vs 60100 vs 60200: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 10005Ultrasound-guided FNA
- Use 60300 for aspiration or injection directed at treating a thyroid cyst. Use 10005 for image-guided fine-needle sampling to obtain cells for diagnosis.
- 60100Thyroid biopsy
- 60300 treats a thyroid cyst by aspiration or injection; 60100 is a percutaneous needle biopsy to obtain thyroid tissue.
- 60200Thyroid surgery
- 60300 uses a needle to aspirate or inject a thyroid cyst. 60200 describes surgical excision of a thyroid cyst or adenoma, or transection of the isthmus.
60300 billing questions
When should 60300 be used instead of a thyroid fine-needle aspiration code?
Use 60300 when the procedure treats a thyroid cyst by aspirating fluid or injecting the cyst. Use a fine-needle aspiration code when the purpose is to collect cells for diagnostic evaluation.
Does 60300 include aspiration, injection, or both?
The service covers aspiration and/or injection of the thyroid cyst. Document which action was performed; both may be described when both occurred.
Can modifier 50 be reported for cysts on both sides?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code because of its descriptor or anatomy.
How does the 0-day global period affect same-day care?
Same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included in the procedure's global period.
Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be paid for this service?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for 60300, and co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
What happens when 60300 is performed with another procedure in the same session?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and the other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction.
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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