CPT code 15832: Thigh lift2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Virginia
Reports surgical removal of redundant skin and underlying tissue from the thigh, such as thigh contouring after substantial weight loss.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 15832 in Virginia.
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 15832 covers
A plastic or reconstructive surgeon uses this code for an operation that removes excess thigh skin and underlying tissue and reshapes the area. A thigh lift may be performed when redundant tissue remains after substantial weight loss or causes documented functional problems. The service is typically performed in a surgical facility; the code identifies treatment of the thigh rather than excess skin at the hip, buttock, or lower leg.
Select the code based on the treated anatomy and document the operative findings, extent of tissue removed, side or sides treated, and clinical rationale. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. With modifier 50 for bilateral treatment, CMS pays 150%. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeons are paid only with supporting documentation, and team surgery is 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 15832 pays more and less in Virginia
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Dc + Md/Va Suburbs | Unavailable | $935.29 |
| Virginia | Unavailable | $813.33 |
How the 15832 rate is calculated
Each of 15832’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 · 15832
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work12.53
12.53 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense10.33
10.33 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice2.36
2.36 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
25.2200
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$842.37
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 15832
15832 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 15832
Thigh lift
| 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) | 1 | Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 2 | Paid. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| 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 · 15832
Thigh lift
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 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
15832 without 50 · national facility
$842.37
Thigh lift
15832-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$1,263.56
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).
15832 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 15833Skin excision
- Choose 15832 for the thigh and 15833 for the leg. Base code selection on the operative site, not simply the overall length of the excision.
- 15834Skin excision
- 15834 identifies excess-skin excision at the hip; 15832 is for the thigh. The documented site of tissue removal guides the choice.
- 15830Exc excessive skin abdomen
- 15830 is for excess-skin excision of the abdomen. It does not describe an operation confined to the thigh.
15832 billing questions
How is 15832 distinguished from the leg code?
Use 15832 when the excision treats excess skin of the thigh. Use 15833 when the treated area is the leg rather than the thigh.
How should bilateral thigh treatment be reported?
For bilateral treatment, report modifier 50. CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.
Is routine closure of the thigh incision separately reported?
Routine closure completes the thigh excision and is not a separate procedure. The operative note should describe the excision and closure performed.
What documentation supports 15832?
Document that the treated area is the thigh, the extent of redundant tissue removed, laterality, and the clinical rationale for surgery.
What postoperative care falls within the global period?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
Does reporting 15832 establish Medicare coverage?
No. The code identifies thigh excess-skin excision; coverage depends on the documented indication and applicable Medicare coverage policy.
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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