Billing code 23330: Foreign-body removalMedicare rate & RVUs in Utah
Removal of a foreign object from subcutaneous tissue at the shoulder, selected when the operative report documents a superficial rather than deep location.
Medicare pays $311.78 for 23330 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 23330 covers
This service covers surgical removal of a foreign object from the subcutaneous tissue of the shoulder. An orthopedic surgeon or another qualified surgeon may perform it when a retained object, such as a fragment beneath the skin, requires removal through an incision. The shoulder location and superficial tissue depth distinguish this service from removal of a deeper object.
Choose this code when the operative report supports a subcutaneous shoulder location; a deep object points to the corresponding deep-removal code. Document the object’s location and depth, the removal performed, and the treated side. Medicare assigns a 10-day global period, so related postoperative visits during that period are included. When multiple procedures occur in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to a 50% reduction. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. 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.
23330 in Utah
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Utah | $311.78 | $159.50 |
How the 23330 rate is calculated
Each of 23330’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 · 23330
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 1.85Practice expense 7.58Malpractice 0.40
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 23330
23330 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 23330
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) | 1 | Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount. |
| 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) | 0.10/0.80/0.10 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 23330
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 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
23330 without 50 · national office
$328.33
Foreign-body removal
23330-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$492.50
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).
23330 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
23330 vs 23333 vs 10120 vs 23334: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 23333Foreign body removal
- The key distinction is tissue depth: 23330 is for a subcutaneous shoulder object, while 23333 is for a deep object.
- 10120Foreign body removal
- 10120 is a general code for simple removal of a subcutaneous foreign body. Use the shoulder-specific code when the documented site and procedure meet that code's criteria.
- 23334Prosthesis removal
- 23334 concerns removal of a shoulder prosthesis. This code is for a separate foreign object in subcutaneous shoulder tissue, not removal of a prosthesis.
23330 billing questions
How do I distinguish this code from 23333?
Use this code when the foreign object is documented in subcutaneous shoulder tissue. Code 23333 is for a deep shoulder foreign object.
Does the 10-day global period include postoperative visits?
Yes. Related postoperative visits during the 10-day global period are included in the procedure payment.
How is bilateral removal reported?
For bilateral procedures, report modifier 50; CMS pays the procedure at 150%.
Can an assistant surgeon be paid?
Assistant-at-surgery payment is available only when the record documents medical necessity. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
What documentation supports selecting this code?
Document the shoulder site, the foreign object's subcutaneous depth, the side treated, and the removal performed. A deep location supports a different code in the shoulder foreign-body removal family.
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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