Billing code 17313: Mohs surgeryMedicare rate & RVUs in Washington
Mohs surgery for a first tissue stage on the trunk, arms, or legs, including mapped specimen processing and microscopic margin assessment by the surgeon.
Medicare pays $647.05–$729.13 for 17313 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 17313 covers
A Mohs surgeon removes a skin cancer in mapped tissue layers, processes and examines the tissue microscopically, and uses the findings to guide further removal while preserving uninvolved tissue. This code represents the first stage for a lesion on the trunk, an arm, or a leg. It is commonly used for cutaneous basal cell or squamous cell carcinomas treated in a dermatology office or hospital outpatient setting.
Report one first-stage service for the treated site, with the number of tissue blocks documented; the first stage includes up to five blocks. Record the anatomic site, mapping, blocks examined, and histologic findings. Additional stages are reported with 17314, and additional blocks beyond the included amount with 17315. Same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included in the 0-day global period. When other procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery; 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 17313 pays more and less in Washington
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Rest Of Washington | $647.05 | $258.76 |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | $729.13 | $276.68 |
How the 17313 rate is calculated
Each of 17313’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 · 17313
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 5.42Practice expense 12.80Malpractice 0.53
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 17313
The CMS indicators that decide how 17313 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 17313
Mohs surgery
| 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) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 1 | Not paid (statutory restriction). |
| 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
17313 without 51 · national office
$626.27
Mohs surgery
17313-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$313.14
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%).
17313 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
17313 vs 17311 vs 17314 vs 17315 vs 17312: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 17311Mohs surgery
- Use 17311 for the first Mohs stage at the head, neck, hands, feet, or genitalia. Code 17313 is for the trunk, arms, or legs.
- 17314Mohs stage
- 17314 reports an additional Mohs stage on the trunk, arms, or legs; 17313 reports the first stage at those sites.
- 17315Mohs block
- 17315 reports additional tissue blocks beyond the included amount, rather than a separate stage.
- 17312Mohs surgery
- 17312 reports an additional Mohs stage at sites assigned to 17311, not the trunk, arms, or legs.
17313 billing questions
How is 17313 distinguished from 17311?
Choose 17313 for the first Mohs stage on the trunk, arms, or legs. Code 17311 is for the first stage at specified sites including the head, neck, hands, feet, or genitalia.
How many tissue blocks are included?
The first stage includes up to five tissue blocks. Report additional blocks with 17315, and document the block count.
How are later Mohs stages reported?
For a lesion on the trunk, arm, or leg, report additional stages with 17314. Document each stage and its tissue findings.
Can modifier 50 be used for bilateral lesions?
No. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this service; the CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
What same-day care is included?
The 0-day global period includes the related preoperative and postoperative care provided on the procedure date.
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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