Billing code 65205: Eye foreign body removalMedicare rate & RVUs in Oregon
Removal of a superficial foreign body from the conjunctiva, such as a loose particle on the exposed eye surface or beneath an eyelid.
Medicare pays $27.81–$29.40 for 65205 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 65205 covers
An ophthalmologist or other qualified eye-care clinician removes a loose foreign body from the conjunctival surface, such as a particle on the exposed eye or beneath an eyelid. The clinician may use irrigation or a small instrument to lift the material away. This service is typically performed in an office or an outpatient facility and is distinct from removing an embedded conjunctival object or a foreign body in the cornea or inside the eye.
Report the code when the documented location is the conjunctiva and the object is superficial. Record the affected eye, the foreign body's site and depth, and the removal performed. The 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care. If multiple procedures are performed in one session, Medicare pays the highest-valued procedure in full and reduces other procedures to 50%. For bilateral treatment, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. 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 65205 pays more and less in Oregon
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Portland | $29.40 | $25.32 |
| Rest Of Oregon | $27.81 | $24.15 |
How the 65205 rate is calculated
Each of 65205’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 · 65205
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.48
0.48 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense0.34
0.34 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.02
0.02 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
0.8400
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$28.06
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 65205
The CMS indicators that decide how 65205 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 65205
Eye foreign body removal
| 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) | 1 | Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount. |
| 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 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
65205 without 50 · national office
$28.06
Eye foreign body removal
65205-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$42.09
Both sides on one line with modifier 50 are paid at 150% of the fee schedule amount (subject to multiple-procedure rules with other procedures).
65205 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 65210Eye foreign body removal
- Choose 65205 for a superficial object on the conjunctiva; choose 65210 when the conjunctival foreign body is embedded.
- 65220Corneal removal
- Use 65220 for a corneal foreign body removed without a slit lamp, not a superficial conjunctival object.
- 65222Corneal removal
- Use 65222 for a corneal foreign body removed with a slit lamp; 65205 is for the conjunctiva.
65205 billing questions
How is this code different from 65210?
Use 65205 for a superficial conjunctival foreign body. Code 65210 is for an embedded conjunctival foreign body.
Does a corneal foreign body qualify?
No. A foreign body in the cornea is reported with a corneal removal code: 65220 without a slit lamp or 65222 with a slit lamp.
What documentation supports reporting 65205?
Document the affected eye, the conjunctival location and superficial nature of the object, and how it was removed.
How is bilateral removal reported?
For bilateral treatment, report modifier 50; CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.
Are same-day care and other procedures affected by payment rules?
Same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included in the 0-day global period. When multiple procedures occur in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others are reduced to 50%.
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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