$364.36
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.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
15650 Pedicle flap transfer Medicare reimbursement rates in Vermont
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. Compare 15650 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Vermont.
Amounts below use the non-QP conversion factor for participating physicians. These are base physician payments before claim-level adjustments, not patient costs or total hospital charges.
What does Medicare pay for 15650 in Vermont?
Vermont has 1 payment locality in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the payment area shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
$571.12
1 of 1 localities have a supported rate.
Payment area: Vermont
One mapped payment locality.
Facility setting
$366.44
1 of 1 localities have a supported rate.
Payment area: Vermont
One mapped payment locality.
These are locality ranges, not averages or address-specific quotes. A facility-setting amount covers the physician service; it does not include a hospital’s separate bill. Choose a locality below to inspect its calculation, compare other payment areas, or price a percentage of Medicare.
Reconstructive surgery
About 15650: Distant pedicled skin flap transfer
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.
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.
CMS billing rules for 15650
- Global period
- Major surgery with a 90-day global period: the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included.
- Multiple procedures
- Standard multiple procedure reduction: the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50% when performed in the same session.
- Bilateral procedures
- Bilateral adjustment does not apply; the descriptor or anatomy makes modifier 50 inappropriate.
- Assistant at surgery
- Assistant at surgery is paid only with documentation of medical necessity.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons not permitted.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU4.65 · 26%
- Practice expense (office) RVU12.13 · 69%
- Malpractice RVU0.87 · 5%
64
Medicare services in 2024 · #5194 by national volume
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 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Vermont, from the same CMS release.
$942.66
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.
$1,013.06
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.
Compare 15650 by payment locality
Find the payment area for your service address, then open its rate page for calculation inputs, release history and the percentage-of-Medicare tool. A city may cross payment-area boundaries; the ZIP lookup above helps resolve the location.
1 of 1 payment localities
Vermont →
Office / nonfacility
$571.12
Facility
$366.44
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How this local rate is calculated
Each RVU component is multiplied by its own geographic practice cost index (GPCI). The three adjusted components are added, then multiplied by the conversion factor. These are the inputs used for 15650 in Vermont.
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
1,528
- Code
- 15650
- Physician work
- 4.65
- Practice expense
- 12.13
- Malpractice
- 0.87
GPCI2026.csv
105
- Locality
- Vermont
- Physician work
- 1.000
- Practice expense
- 0.990
- Malpractice
- 0.506
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 4.65 | × 1.000 | 4.6500 |
| Practice expense | 12.13 | × 0.990 | 12.0087 |
| Malpractice | 0.87 | × 0.506 | 0.4402 |
| Total RVUs | 17.0989 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Office / nonfacility rate, Vermont$571.12
Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula
Office / nonfacility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 4.65 | 1 |
| Practice expense | 12.13 | 0.99 |
| Malpractice | 0.87 | 0.506 |
(4.65 × 1 + 12.13 × 0.99 + 0.87 × 0.506) × $33.4009 = $571.12
Facility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 4.65 | 1 |
| Practice expense | 5.94 | 0.99 |
| Malpractice | 0.87 | 0.506 |
(4.65 × 1 + 5.94 × 0.99 + 0.87 × 0.506) × $33.4009 = $366.44
The office and facility calculations use their respective practice-expense RVUs. The facility amount here is the physician fee, not a separate hospital or facility bill.
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 indices and the applicable conversion factor. Unavailable or separately priced services are labeled rather than assigned a made-up amount.
Source: RVU26D. Effective 2026-10-01 through the day before 2027-01-01.
1,52515610,,Delay flap arms/legs,A,,2.46,8.84,,4.17,,0.42,11.72,7.05,0,090,0.10,0.71,0.19,2,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
1,52615620,,Delay flap f/c/c/n/ax/g/h/f,A,,3.66,9.64,,4.88,,0.58,13.88,9.12,0,090,0.10,0.71,0.19,2,0,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
1,52715630,,Delay flap eye/nos/ear/lip,A,,3.98,9.55,,4.80,,0.54,14.07,9.32,0,090,0.10,0.71,0.19,2,0,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
1,52815650,,Transfer skin pedicle flap,A,,4.65,12.13,,5.94,,0.87,17.65,11.46,0,090,0.10,0.71,0.19,2,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
1,52915730,,Mdfc flap w/prsrv vasc pedcl,A,,13.16,28.48,,8.77,,1.49,43.13,23.42,0,090,0.10,0.71,0.19,2,0,1,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
1,53015731,,Forehead flap w/vasc pedicle,A,,14.02,18.22,,10.11,,2.14,34.38,26.27,0,090,0.10,0.71,0.19,2,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
1,53115733,,Musc myoq/fscq flp h&n pedcl,A,,15.29,9.32,NA,9.32,,2.58,27.19,27.19,0,090,0.10,0.71,0.19,2,0,1,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
10204412,TX,18,HOUSTON,1.008,0.993,1.376
10304412,TX,99,REST OF TEXAS,1.000,0.949,0.903
10403502,UT,09,UTAH,1.000,0.940,0.898
10514512,VT,50,VERMONT,1.000,0.990,0.506
10611302,VA,00,VIRGINIA,1.000,0.983,0.706
10709202,VI,50,VIRGIN ISLANDS,1.000,1.011,0.985
10802402,WA,02,SEATTLE (KING CNTY),1.050,1.227,0.817