Billing code 28171: Bone tumor resectionMedicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Resection of a tumor involving a tarsal bone, reported when the operative service removes the tumor and affected bone rather than performing limited curettage.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 28171 in Texas.
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 28171 covers
This operation removes a tumor involving a tarsal bone, such as the talus, calcaneus, or another bone of the midfoot or hindfoot. An orthopedic foot-and-ankle surgeon or podiatric surgeon typically performs it in an operating room, exposing the involved bone and resecting the tumor and the extent of bone required by the operative plan. The specimen may be submitted for pathologic examination.
Select this code when the documented service is a tarsal bone tumor resection, rather than limited curettage or excision of a benign lesion. The operative report should identify the tarsal bone and describe the tumor and extent of resection. Medicare includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care in the major-surgery global period. When multiple 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. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. An assistant at surgery may be paid; 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 28171 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 of 8 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Austin | Unavailable | $1,021.64 |
| Beaumont | Unavailable | $971.52 |
| Brazoria | Unavailable | $988.39 |
| Dallas | Unavailable | $999.61 |
| Fort Worth | Unavailable | $997.44 |
| Galveston | Unavailable | $994.57 |
| Houston | Unavailable | $1,056.81 |
| Rest Of Texas | Unavailable | $982.78 |
How the 28171 rate is calculated
Each of 28171’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 · 28171
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 16.00Practice expense 10.91Malpractice 3.40
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 28171
28171 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 28171
Bone tumor resection
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 090 | Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 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) | 2 | Paid. |
| 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) | 0.10/0.69/0.21 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 28171
Bone tumor resection
90-day global period ends
Dec 30, 2026
Covers Sep 30, 2026 through Dec 30, 2026 (92 days, including the day before surgery).
Visit on Oct 31, 2026
Day 30 of the 90-day post-op period: related follow-up care is included in the surgical payment.
Pre-op dayGlobal period
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
28171 without 51 · national facility
$1,012.38
Bone tumor resection
28171-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$506.19
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%).
28171 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
28171 vs 28100 vs 28102 vs 28173 vs 28175: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 28100Bone lesion excision
- 28100 describes curettage or excision of a bone cyst or benign tumor in the talus or calcaneus. Use 28171 when the documented procedure is tumor resection rather than that more limited work.
- 28102Bone lesion excision
- 28102 covers curettage or excision of a bone cyst or benign tumor in a tarsal bone other than the talus or calcaneus. 28171 is for resection of a tarsal bone tumor.
- 28173Bone tumor surgery
- 28173 is for resection of a tumor involving a metatarsal. 28171 is for a tarsal bone.
- 28175Bone tumor resection
- 28175 is for resection of a tumor involving a toe phalanx. 28171 is for a tarsal bone.
28171 billing questions
How is this different from a tarsal bone curettage code?
Use 28171 for resection of a tumor involving a tarsal bone. A limited curettage or excision of a benign lesion may fit a different code, depending on the bone and work documented.
What documentation supports reporting 28171?
The operative report should identify the tarsal bone, the tumor, and the extent of the bone resection. Pathology results may support the diagnosis but do not replace documentation of the operation performed.
Can modifier 50 be used when both feet are treated?
Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. The CMS descriptor and anatomy do not support a bilateral adjustment.
How are other procedures in the same session paid?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction when performed in the same session.
Is an assistant surgeon payable?
CMS permits payment for an assistant at surgery. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted for this code.
What postoperative care is included?
The major-surgery global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
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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