$121.43–$133.61
Use 10060 for a superficial cutaneous abscess. Use 27301 when the collection is deep in the thigh or knee region.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
27301 Deep drainage Medicare reimbursement rates in Pennsylvania
Reports open drainage of a deep abscess, bursa, or hematoma in the thigh or knee region, rather than a superficial skin collection. Compare 27301 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 27301 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
$680.48–$751.88
2 of 2 localities have a supported rate.
Facility setting
$464.62–$507.10
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.
Orthopedic surgery
About 27301: Deep thigh or knee collection drainage
Reports open drainage of a deep abscess, bursa, or hematoma in the thigh or knee region, rather than a superficial skin collection.
A surgeon opens the deep tissue planes of the thigh or knee region to evacuate a collection such as an abscess, infected bursa, or hematoma. Orthopedic surgeons commonly perform this service in an operating room, although the appropriate setting depends on the patient and the collection. The operative report should establish the site and depth and describe the collection and its drainage. A superficial skin abscess, a collection within bone, and a knee-joint procedure represent different services.
Report the code when the documented work is deep incision and drainage in the thigh or knee region, not excision of a mass or drainage limited to the skin. This major surgery code includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 27301
- 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 procedure with modifier 50 is paid at 150%.
- Assistant at surgery
- Statutory restriction: assistant at surgery is not paid.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons not permitted.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU6.61 · 31%
- Practice expense (office) RVU13.51 · 63%
- Malpractice RVU1.44 · 7%
4.5K
Medicare services in 2024 · #1949 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.
27301 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Pennsylvania, from the same CMS release.
No office rate
27303 addresses drainage of a bone lesion. This code is for a deep abscess, bursa, or hematoma in the thigh or knee region.
No office rate
27310 involves operative exploration or treatment of the knee joint. This code addresses deep drainage in the region, not an intra-articular procedure.
Compare 27301 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
$751.88
Facility
$507.10
Rest Of Pennsylvania →
Office / nonfacility
$680.48
Facility
$464.62
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27301 billing questions
How does this differ from drainage of a superficial abscess?
This code is for a deep collection in the thigh or knee region. A collection confined to the skin or superficial tissue is considered under the applicable superficial abscess drainage code.
What documentation supports reporting this code?
Document the thigh or knee location, the deep tissue site, the type of collection, and the incision-and-drainage work performed. The record should distinguish a deep soft-tissue or bursal collection from a joint or bone process.
Can another drainage code be reported for the same collection?
Do not report a second drainage code for the same collection simply to represent its incision or evacuation. The operative documentation should identify any distinct, separately treated site.
How is bilateral treatment reported?
For bilateral procedures reported with modifier 50, CMS pays 150% under the supplied fee schedule rule.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be billed for this procedure?
CMS does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
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.
2,82527290,,Amputation of leg at hip,A,,23.94,14.88,NA,14.88,,5.09,43.91,43.91,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,82627295,,Amputation of leg at hip,A,,19.17,10.93,NA,10.93,,4.24,34.34,34.34,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,82727299,,Unlisted px pelvis/hip joint,C,,0.00,0.00,,0.00,,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,YYY,0.00,0.00,0.00,2,1,2,1,1,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,82827301,,Drain thigh/knee lesion,A,,6.61,13.51,,6.47,,1.44,21.56,14.52,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,82927303,,Drainage of bone lesion,A,,8.41,7.93,NA,7.93,,1.74,18.08,18.08,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,83027305,,Incise thigh tendon & fascia,A,,6.03,6.62,NA,6.62,,1.25,13.90,13.90,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,83127306,,Incision of thigh tendon,A,,4.62,4.64,NA,4.64,,0.47,9.73,9.73,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,2,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00