Billing code 12014: Wound repairMedicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Report this code for a simple, one-layer repair of a superficial wound on the face or related sites when the repair length totals 5.1–7.5 cm.
Medicare pays $161.67–$177.41 for 12014 in the office in Texas, from Beaumont to Austin. 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 12014 covers
This code covers simple closure of a superficial wound on the face, ear, eyelid, nose, lip, or mucous membrane when the repair involves one layer. It is commonly performed by emergency physicians, surgeons, and other qualified practitioners in emergency departments, offices, and urgent care settings. A facial laceration closed with a single layer of sutures is a typical situation; a repair requiring layered closure belongs in the intermediate-repair family instead.
Select the code using the total repair length for simple wounds in this anatomic group; when multiple such wounds are repaired, combine their lengths. Document the wound sites, lengths, and closure complexity. The 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this descriptor. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service; 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 12014 pays more and less in Texas
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
8 payment localities
$161.67 to $177.41
8 of 8 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Austin | $177.41 | $71.40 |
| Beaumont | $161.67 | $70.48 |
| Brazoria | $169.13 | $69.83 |
| Dallas | $170.66 | $70.86 |
| Fort Worth | $169.73 | $70.93 |
| Galveston | $169.92 | $70.42 |
| Houston | $176.51 | $77.01 |
| Rest Of Texas | $165.61 | $70.52 |
How the 12014 rate is calculated
Each of 12014’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 · 12014
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 1.53Practice expense 3.27Malpractice 0.36
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 12014
The CMS indicators that decide how 12014 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 12014
Wound repair
| 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
12014 without 51 · national office
$172.35
Wound repair
12014-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$86.18
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%).
12014 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
12014 vs 12013 vs 12015 vs 12002 vs 12053: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 12013Wound repair
- Both describe simple repair in the same anatomic group, but 12013 is for a shorter total repair length. Use 12014 when the combined length reaches 5.1 cm and remains within 7.5 cm.
- 12015Simple wound repair
- This is the next longer simple-repair interval for the same anatomic group. Use 12015 when the combined repair length exceeds 7.5 cm and falls within its range.
- 12002Wound repair
- This code covers simple repairs on other listed body sites, such as the scalp, trunk, or extremities. The length may be similar, but the anatomic group differs.
- 12053Wound repair
- Both apply to facial-site repairs in the 5.1–7.5 cm interval. Use 12053 when the closure meets intermediate-repair criteria rather than simple, one-layer repair.
12014 billing questions
How does this code differ from 12013 or 12015?
All three are simple repairs in the same anatomic group. Choose 12014 when the combined repair length is 5.1–7.5 cm; 12013 covers a shorter interval and 12015 a longer one.
When should an intermediate repair code be used instead?
Use an intermediate-repair code when the wound closure requires layered repair or otherwise meets the criteria for intermediate complexity. For a facial-site repair measuring 5.1–7.5 cm, compare with 12053.
Can separate facial wounds be coded individually?
For multiple simple repairs in this same anatomic group, combine the repair lengths to select the length code rather than reporting a separate code for each wound.
Is modifier 50 appropriate for wounds on both sides?
No. The CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply to this code, and modifier 50 is inappropriate for its anatomic descriptor.
What same-day care is included in the global period?
The 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care associated with the repair.
How are other procedures in the same session paid?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures subject to the standard multiple-procedure rule are paid 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 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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