Billing code 54015: Penile drainageMedicare rate & RVUs in Utah
Reports surgical incision and drainage of a deep penile abscess or collection, rather than treatment of a superficial lesion or preputial condition.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 54015 in Utah.
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 54015 covers
This service involves surgically opening a deep collection in penile tissue and draining its contents. It is typically performed by a urologist or another qualified surgeon in a facility setting when examination identifies a deep penile abscess requiring operative drainage. It is distinct from treating a penile surface lesion or making an incision in the foreskin for a preputial problem.
Report the code when the operative note supports both the penile site and the depth of the collection, with the incision and drainage described. The service has a 10-day global period, so related postoperative visits during that period are included. 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. A bilateral adjustment 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.
54015 in Utah
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Utah | Unavailable | $270.15 |
How the 54015 rate is calculated
Each of 54015’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 · 54015
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work5.23
5.23 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense2.41
2.41 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.66
0.66 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
8.3000
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$277.23
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 54015
54015 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 54015
Penile drainage
| 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) | 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 · 54015
Penile drainage
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
54015 without 51 · national facility
$277.23
Penile drainage
54015-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$138.62
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%).
54015 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 10060Abscess drainage
- This code is specific to a deep penile collection. Code 10060 describes drainage of a simple or single cutaneous abscess and is not selected solely because an incision is made.
- 10061Abscess drainage
- Code 10061 addresses complicated or multiple cutaneous abscess drainage. For 54015, the distinguishing documentation is a deep collection in the penis.
- 54050Penile lesion destruction
- Code 54050 is for destruction of penile lesion(s), not incision and drainage of a deep abscess or collection.
- 54000Dorsal slit
- Code 54000 concerns incision of the prepuce. It is not the code for opening and draining a deep penile collection.
54015 billing questions
How is this distinguished from drainage of a superficial abscess?
The operative documentation should establish that the collection is deep and located in the penis. A superficial skin abscess may point to a different abscess-drainage code.
Can a penile lesion destruction code be used for an abscess?
No. Destruction codes such as 54050 address penile lesions treated by destruction; 54015 describes drainage of a deep collection.
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 drainage on both sides?
No. A bilateral adjustment does not apply to this code, and modifier 50 is inappropriate.
When may an assistant-at-surgery be paid?
Only when documentation establishes medical necessity. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted for this service.
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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