Billing code 20525: Foreign body removalMedicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Reports operative removal of a foreign object embedded deeply in muscle or tendon when retrieval requires more than a simple extraction.
Medicare pays $463.06–$515.59 for 20525 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 20525 covers
This service covers surgical retrieval of an object embedded in muscle or tendon, such as a deeply lodged splinter or fragment. A physician makes the necessary exposure and dissection to locate and remove it. The procedure may be performed in an office procedure room, emergency setting, or operating room, depending on the object’s location and the difficulty of access.
Choose this code when the object is deep in muscle or tendon, or its removal is complicated; document the anatomic site, depth, and work needed to retrieve it. Use 20520 for a simple removal from muscle or tendon, and consider the subcutaneous foreign-body codes when the object remains in that tissue layer. The 10-day global period includes related postoperative visits during those 10 days. For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery, and co-surgeon and team-surgery billing 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 20525 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
$463.06 to $515.59
8 of 8 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Austin | $515.59 | $236.42 |
| Beaumont | $463.06 | $222.95 |
| Brazoria | $489.84 | $228.35 |
| Dallas | $493.47 | $230.66 |
| Fort Worth | $490.16 | $229.99 |
| Galveston | $491.62 | $229.60 |
| Houston | $503.70 | $241.68 |
| Rest Of Texas | $476.52 | $226.11 |
How the 20525 rate is calculated
Each of 20525’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 · 20525
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 3.45Practice expense 10.77Malpractice 0.66
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 20525
20525 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 20525
Foreign body removal
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 010 | Minor procedure: the day of the procedure plus 10 days after are 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. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.10/0.80/0.10 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 20525
Foreign body removal
10-day global period ends
Oct 11, 2026
Covers Oct 1, 2026 through Oct 11, 2026 (11 days).
Visit on Oct 31, 2026
After the global period ends: visits and procedures are billed normally.
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
20525 without 51 · national office
$497.01
Foreign body removal
20525-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$248.51
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%).
20525 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
20525 vs 20520 vs 10120 vs 10121: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 20520Foreign body removal
- Both address foreign-body removal from muscle or tendon. Choose 20525 for deep or complicated retrieval and 20520 for simple removal.
- 10120Foreign body removal
- 10120 is for simple removal from subcutaneous tissue. Use 20525 when the object is embedded in muscle or tendon and removal is deep or complicated.
- 10121Foreign body removal
- 10121 describes complicated removal from subcutaneous tissue. The tissue layer distinguishes it from deep or complicated removal from muscle or tendon under 20525.
20525 billing questions
How do I distinguish 20525 from 20520?
Use 20525 for a deep or complicated removal from muscle or tendon. Use 20520 when removal from those tissues is simple.
When should a subcutaneous foreign-body code be considered instead?
Consider 10120 or 10121 when the object is in subcutaneous tissue rather than embedded in muscle or tendon. The documented tissue layer and complexity guide code selection.
Are related postoperative visits separately reported?
Related postoperative visits during the 10-day global period are included in the procedure.
Can modifier 50 be used for removal on both sides?
No. The CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply, and modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code.
Can an assistant, co-surgeon, or surgical team be billed?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
What documentation supports reporting 20525?
Document the foreign body's location in muscle or tendon, its depth, and why retrieval was deep or complicated rather than simple.
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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