Billing code 68135: Lesion destructionMedicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Reports destruction of a lesion on the conjunctiva, such as a papillomatous growth, when treatment removes or ablates it without excision.
Medicare pays $150.91–$164.61 for 68135 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 68135 covers
An ophthalmologist typically uses a destructive technique, such as cryotherapy or cautery, to treat a lesion on the conjunctiva, the membrane covering the eye’s front surface and lining the eyelids. A conjunctival papilloma is one example of a lesion that may be treated this way. The service may be performed in an office or facility setting, depending on the procedure and patient circumstances.
Select this code when the lesion is destroyed rather than removed by excision or sampled for diagnosis. Document the treated eye, lesion location and characteristics, and method of destruction. The 10-day global period includes related postoperative visits during that period. For bilateral treatment, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. When multiple procedures occur in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code; 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 68135 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
$150.91 to $164.61
8 of 8 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Austin | $164.61 | $133.16 |
| Beaumont | $150.91 | $123.86 |
| Brazoria | $158.21 | $128.75 |
| Dallas | $159.13 | $129.52 |
| Fort Worth | $158.26 | $128.95 |
| Galveston | $158.63 | $129.12 |
| Houston | $161.38 | $131.86 |
| Rest Of Texas | $154.42 | $126.21 |
How the 68135 rate is calculated
Each of 68135’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 · 68135
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 1.84Practice expense 2.79Malpractice 0.15
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 68135
68135 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 68135
Lesion destruction
| 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) | 1 | Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount. |
| 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 · 68135
Lesion destruction
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 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
68135 without 50 · national office
$159.66
Lesion destruction
68135-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$239.49
Both sides on one line with modifier 50 are paid at 150% of the fee schedule amount (subject to multiple-procedure rules with other procedures).
68135 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
68135 vs 68100 vs 68110 vs 68115 vs 68130: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 68100Conjunctival biopsy
- 68100 is for sampling conjunctival tissue to obtain a diagnosis. Use 68135 when the lesion is treated by destruction without a diagnostic tissue sample.
- 68110Conjunctival excision
- 68110 describes excision of a conjunctival lesion up to 1 cm. Choose 68135 when the method is destruction, not surgical removal.
- 68115Conjunctival excision
- 68115 describes excision of a conjunctival lesion over 1 cm. It differs from 68135 by removal method, not simply by lesion size.
- 68130Conjunctival excision
- 68130 describes excision of a conjunctival lesion adjacent to the sclera. Use 68135 for destruction rather than excision.
68135 billing questions
When should this code be used instead of a conjunctival excision code?
Use this code when the lesion is destroyed in place. Use an excision code when the lesion is surgically removed; the applicable excision code depends on the procedure and lesion circumstances.
How does this differ from a conjunctival biopsy?
Destruction treats the lesion without removing a specimen for histologic examination. A biopsy is used when tissue is sampled for diagnosis.
Does the 10-day global period include follow-up visits?
Related postoperative visits during the 10 days after the procedure are included in the global period.
How is bilateral treatment reported?
For bilateral treatment, report modifier 50; CMS values the bilateral procedure at 150%.
What happens when another procedure is performed in the same session?
Under the standard multiple procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are paid at 50%.
Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be reported?
Medicare 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 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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