Billing code 11312: Shave removalMedicare rate & RVUs in Washington
Reports tangential removal of a 1.1-2.0 cm lesion on the face or related sites when the service removes epidermal or dermal tissue.
Medicare pays $155.66–$175.54 for 11312 in the office in Washington, from Rest Of Washington to Seattle (King Cnty). 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 11312 covers
billing code 11312 represents tangential removal of an epidermal or dermal lesion on the face, ear, eyelid, nose, or lip, without removing the lesion through the full thickness of the skin. Dermatologists and other clinicians who perform skin procedures may use it for a raised lesion requiring removal for treatment or evaluation. Local anesthesia is part of the shave service; a specimen may also be submitted for separate pathology examination.
Select this code by the lesion’s site and measured diameter, and document the location, size, technique, and clinical reason for removal. Report each separate lesion according to its own site and size. The 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple procedure reduction. 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.
Where 11312 pays more and less in Washington
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Rest Of Washington | $155.66 | $60.70 |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | $175.54 | $64.89 |
How the 11312 rate is calculated
Each of 11312’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 · 11312
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work1.27
1.27 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense3.11
3.11 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.13
0.13 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
4.5100
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$150.64
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 11312
The CMS indicators that decide how 11312 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 11312
Shave removal
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 000 | Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is included. |
| Multiple procedures | 2 | Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 9 | The concept 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. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
11312 without 51 · national office
$150.64
Shave removal
11312-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$75.32
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%).
11312 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 11311Shave removal
- Both codes cover the same facial site group and shave technique. Choose 11312 for a lesion measuring 1.1-2.0 cm and 11311 for one measuring 0.6-1.0 cm.
- 11307Shave removal
- This code covers the 1.1-2.0 cm range for scalp, neck, hand, foot, or external genitalia lesions. Use 11312 when the lesion is on the face, ear, eyelid, nose, or lip.
- 11442Facial lesion excision
- Code 11442 describes full-thickness excision of a benign facial lesion in this size range. Code 11312 is for tangential shave removal of epidermal or dermal tissue.
- 11102Tangential skin biopsy
- Use 11102 for tangential biopsy when the purpose is to sample a lesion for diagnosis. Use 11312 when the service removes the lesion by shaving.
11312 billing questions
How is 11312 distinguished from 11311?
Both apply to the facial site group, but 11312 is for a lesion measuring 1.1-2.0 cm; 11311 is for one measuring 0.6-1.0 cm.
Which body sites belong to this code?
Use 11312 for the face, ears, eyelids, nose, or lips. A lesion on the scalp, neck, hand, foot, or external genitalia belongs to a different site group.
Can pathology be billed separately?
A pathology service may be reported separately when a specimen is examined. The shave removal itself includes local anesthesia.
How are multiple lesions reported in one session?
Report each lesion using the code that matches its site and size, with documentation identifying each lesion. CMS applies the standard multiple procedure reduction when procedures are performed in the same session.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted for this code under the CMS rules provided.
Can a same-day E/M service be billed separately?
A significant, separately identifiable E/M service may be reported with modifier 25 when supported by the record; routine same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included in the 0-day global period.
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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