Billing code 15650: Pedicle flap transferMedicare rate & RVUs in Utah
Reports transfer of an attached skin flap from a distant donor site to a recipient site, such as abdominal tissue brought to an arm for coverage.
Medicare pays $562.25 for 15650 in the office in Utah (Utah). 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 15650 covers
This service covers moving a skin-bearing flap from a donor site to a recipient site while it remains connected to its blood supply through a pedicle. A classic example is transferring abdominal tissue to an arm or hand for coverage after substantial tissue loss. Plastic and reconstructive surgeons typically perform the transfer in an operating room. The code describes the transfer stage, not merely raising the flap or a later procedure to divide its connection.
Report the code when the operative note supports transfer of a pedicled flap between donor and recipient sites; document both sites and the transfer performed. It has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For other procedures in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and additional procedures are subject to the standard multiple procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity; 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.
15650 in Utah
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Utah | $562.25 | $367.91 |
How the 15650 rate is calculated
Each of 15650’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 · 15650
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 4.65Practice expense 12.13Malpractice 0.87
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 15650
15650 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 15650
Pedicle flap transfer
| 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) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| 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) | 0.10/0.71/0.19 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 15650
Pedicle flap transfer
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
15650 without 51 · national office
$589.53
Pedicle flap transfer
15650-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$294.77
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%).
15650 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
15650 vs 15600 vs 15570 vs 15740: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 15600Flap delay
- 15600 describes a flap-delay procedure for the trunk. Code 15650 reports transfer of a pedicled flap from a donor site to a recipient site.
- 15570Skin flap
- 15570 covers formation of a direct or tubed pedicle flap for the trunk. Use 15650 for the transfer stage when the flap is moved to the recipient site.
- 15740Island flap
- 15740 describes an island pedicle flap, generally a local flap approach. Code 15650 is used for transfer of a pedicled flap from a donor site such as the abdomen to an arm.
15650 billing questions
How is this different from a flap formation code?
This code is for transferring a pedicled flap to its recipient site. Codes such as 15570 and 15574 describe formation of a direct or tubed pedicle flap rather than this transfer stage.
Is later flap division included in this code?
The transfer code describes moving the attached flap, not a later division or delay procedure. Codes 15600–15630 describe delay procedures by anatomic site; select the applicable code for the later service.
Can modifier 50 be reported?
No. The descriptor or anatomy makes bilateral adjustment inappropriate for this service.
When is an assistant at surgery payable?
Assistant-at-surgery payment is allowed only when the record documents medical necessity. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
What operative documentation supports reporting the transfer?
Document the donor and recipient sites, the pedicled flap transferred, and the operative steps establishing the transfer. The record should distinguish this stage from flap formation or later division.
How are other procedures in the same session paid?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures in the same session are subject to the standard multiple procedure reduction.
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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