Billing code 32905: Chest wall repairMedicare rate & RVUs in Virginia
Reports operative reconstruction of a chest-wall defect with prosthetic material, such as mesh, after trauma or a prior operation.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 32905 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 32905 covers
Code 32905 describes surgical reconstruction of a chest-wall defect using prosthetic material, commonly mesh. A thoracic surgeon typically performs the repair in an operating room when a defect from trauma or a prior operation requires structural coverage. The operative note should identify the defect and its cause, describe the reconstruction, and document the prosthetic material used. A repair using a muscle flap is distinguished by code 32906; rib removal alone is not this service.
This major surgery has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during the 90 days after surgery. 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. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this service. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; co-surgeon payment requires 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 32905 pays more and less in Virginia
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Dc + Md/Va Suburbs | Unavailable | $1,386.71 |
| Virginia | Unavailable | $1,205.99 |
How the 32905 rate is calculated
Each of 32905’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 · 32905
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 22.71Practice expense 9.52Malpractice 5.72
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 32905
32905 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 32905
Chest wall repair
| 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) | 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) | 0.10/0.76/0.14 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 32905
Chest wall repair
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
32905 without 51 · national facility
$1,267.56
Chest wall repair
32905-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$633.78
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%).
32905 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
32905 vs 32906 vs 32900 vs 21811: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 32906Chest wall repair
- Choose 32905 for reconstruction with prosthetic material; choose 32906 when the repair uses a muscle flap.
- 32900Rib removal
- 32900 describes rib removal. It does not identify reconstruction of a chest-wall defect with prosthetic material.
- 21811Rib fixation
- 21811 addresses open internal fixation of rib fractures; 32905 addresses prosthetic reconstruction of a chest-wall defect.
32905 billing questions
How do I distinguish 32905 from 32906?
Use 32905 when the chest-wall reconstruction uses prosthetic material. Code 32906 identifies repair using a muscle flap.
Does rib removal alone support 32905?
No. Rib removal without prosthetic chest-wall reconstruction is a different service; 32905 describes reconstruction of a defect using prosthetic material.
What documentation supports 32905?
Document the chest-wall defect and its cause, the operative reconstruction, and the prosthetic material used.
Should modifier 50 be appended for repair on both sides?
No. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this service.
How does the 90-day global period affect postoperative billing?
The day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during the 90 days after surgery are included in the global period.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be paid?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; team surgery is not permitted.
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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