Billing code 21502: Deep abscess drainageMedicare rate & RVUs in Washington
Drainage of a deep neck or thoracic abscess or hematoma when rib osteomyelitis is involved, reported for the operative treatment of that condition.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 21502 in Washington.
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 21502 covers
This operation drains a deep collection in the soft tissues of the neck or thorax when rib osteomyelitis is part of the operative problem. It is generally performed by a surgeon in an operating room, often for a deep infection involving the chest wall or neck. The rib osteomyelitis must be part of the treated condition; a deep collection alone does not establish this code.
Select the code based on the collection’s depth and location and documentation of rib osteomyelitis. The operative report should identify the collection, its site, and the rib infection being treated. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code.
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 21502 pays more and less in Washington
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Rest Of Washington | Unavailable | $510.95 |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | Unavailable | $559.01 |
How the 21502 rate is calculated
Each of 21502’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 · 21502
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work7.36
7.36 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense6.11
6.11 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.85
1.85 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
15.3200
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$511.70
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 21502
21502 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 21502
Deep abscess drainage
| 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) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.10/0.69/0.21 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 21502
Deep abscess drainage
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
21502 without 51 · national facility
$511.70
Deep abscess drainage
21502-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$255.85
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%).
21502 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 21501Deep abscess drainage
- Both address deep drainage in the neck or thorax. Choose 21502 when rib osteomyelitis is involved in the treated condition; 21501 is the related code without that distinction.
- 21510Thoracic I&D
- This code concerns a deep thoracic incision with opening of bone cortex. Choose 21502 for drainage of a deep collection when rib osteomyelitis is part of the operative problem.
- 21550Soft-tissue biopsy
- Code 21550 is for biopsy of the neck or chest. It is used to obtain tissue for diagnosis, not to drain a deep abscess or hematoma.
21502 billing questions
How does this differ from 21501?
Use 21502 when rib osteomyelitis is involved in the deep neck or thoracic collection being treated. Code 21501 describes the related deep drainage service without that rib osteomyelitis distinction.
What documentation supports reporting 21502?
The operative report should establish a deep abscess or hematoma in the neck or thorax and document the associated rib osteomyelitis. A nearby infection without documented rib osteomyelitis does not support this code.
Can modifier 50 be used for bilateral treatment?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code, so modifier 50 should not be used.
How does the global period affect postoperative services?
The 90-day global includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during the 90 days after surgery.
Can an assistant surgeon be reported?
CMS indicates that an assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted for this code.
What happens when other 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, with payment at 50%.
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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