$486.64–$540.17
Both address deep drainage in the neck or thorax. Choose 21502 when rib osteomyelitis is involved in the treated condition; 21501 is the related code without that distinction.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
21502 Deep abscess drainage Medicare reimbursement rates in Pennsylvania
Drainage of a deep neck or thoracic abscess or hematoma when rib osteomyelitis is involved, reported for the operative treatment of that condition. Compare 21502 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Pennsylvania.
Amounts below use the non-QP conversion factor for participating physicians. These are base physician payments before claim-level adjustments, not patient costs or total hospital charges.
What does Medicare pay for 21502 in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has 2 payment localities in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the 2 payment areas shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
No supported rate
Facility setting
$491.57–$536.42
2 of 2 localities have a supported rate.
These are locality ranges, not averages or address-specific quotes. A facility-setting amount covers the physician service; it does not include a hospital’s separate bill. Choose a locality below to inspect its calculation, compare other payment areas, or price a percentage of Medicare.
Surgical drainage
About 21502: Deep neck or thoracic drainage with rib osteomyelitis
Drainage of a deep neck or thoracic abscess or hematoma when rib osteomyelitis is involved, reported for the operative treatment of that condition.
This operation drains a deep collection in the soft tissues of the neck or thorax when rib osteomyelitis is part of the operative problem. It is generally performed by a surgeon in an operating room, often for a deep infection involving the chest wall or neck. The rib osteomyelitis must be part of the treated condition; a deep collection alone does not establish this code.
Select the code based on the collection’s depth and location and documentation of rib osteomyelitis. The operative report should identify the collection, its site, and the rib infection being treated. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period, including 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 other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code.
CMS billing rules for 21502
- Global period
- Major surgery with a 90-day global period: the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included.
- Multiple procedures
- Standard multiple procedure reduction: the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50% when performed in the same session.
- Bilateral procedures
- Bilateral adjustment does not apply; the descriptor or anatomy makes modifier 50 inappropriate.
- Assistant at surgery
- Assistant at surgery may be paid.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons not permitted.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU7.36 · 48%
- Practice expense (office) RVU6.11 · 40%
- Malpractice RVU1.85 · 12%
34
Medicare services in 2024 · #5575 by national volume
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.
21502 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Pennsylvania, from the same CMS release.
No office rate
This code concerns a deep thoracic incision with opening of bone cortex. Choose 21502 for drainage of a deep collection when rib osteomyelitis is part of the operative problem.
$255.50–$282.97
Code 21550 is for biopsy of the neck or chest. It is used to obtain tissue for diagnosis, not to drain a deep abscess or hematoma.
Compare 21502 by payment locality
Find the payment area for your service address, then open its rate page for calculation inputs, release history and the percentage-of-Medicare tool. A city may cross payment-area boundaries; the ZIP lookup above helps resolve the location.
2 of 2 payment localities
Metropolitan Philadelphia →
Office / nonfacility
Unavailable
Facility
$536.42
Rest Of Pennsylvania →
Office / nonfacility
Unavailable
Facility
$491.57
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21502 billing questions
How does this differ from 21501?
Use 21502 when rib osteomyelitis is involved in the deep neck or thoracic collection being treated. Code 21501 describes the related deep drainage service without that rib osteomyelitis distinction.
What documentation supports reporting 21502?
The operative report should establish a deep abscess or hematoma in the neck or thorax and document the associated rib osteomyelitis. A nearby infection without documented rib osteomyelitis does not support this code.
Can modifier 50 be used for bilateral treatment?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code, so modifier 50 should not be used.
How does the global period affect postoperative services?
The 90-day global includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during the 90 days after surgery.
Can an assistant surgeon be reported?
CMS indicates that an assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted for this code.
What happens when other procedures are performed in the same session?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction, with payment at 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 indices and the applicable conversion factor. Unavailable or separately priced services are labeled rather than assigned a made-up amount.
Source: RVU26D. Effective 2026-10-01 through the day before 2027-01-01.
1,99621497,,Interdental wirg oth/thn fx,A,,4.52,16.45,,11.80,,0.50,21.47,16.82,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
1,99721499,,Unlisted muscskel px head,C,,0.00,0.00,,0.00,,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,YYY,0.00,0.00,0.00,2,0,0,1,1,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
1,99821501,,I&d dp absc/hmtma sft ts nck,A,,3.88,10.79,,5.10,,0.83,15.50,9.81,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,0,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
1,99921502,,I&d dp abs/hmtm nck rib ostc,A,,7.36,6.11,NA,6.11,,1.85,15.32,15.32,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,0,2,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,00021510,,Inc deep opng b1 crtx thorax,A,,6.05,6.30,NA,6.30,,1.51,13.86,13.86,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,00121550,,Biopsy of neck/chest,A,,2.06,5.78,,1.94,,0.30,8.14,4.30,0,010,0.10,0.80,0.10,2,0,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,00221552,,Exc neck les sc 3 cm/>,A,,6.33,5.02,NA,5.02,,1.50,12.85,12.85,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,0,2,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00