Billing code 28001: Bursa drainageMedicare rate & RVUs in Washington
Reports incision and drainage of a foot bursa when operative evacuation is needed for a symptomatic fluid collection or infected bursa.
Medicare pays $171.85–$191.33 for 28001 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 28001 covers
The service involves opening a bursa in the foot and draining its contents. A foot and ankle surgeon or podiatrist may perform it for a symptomatic collection, including a bursa containing purulent material, in an office-based procedure setting or a facility. The operative target is the bursa itself, rather than a broader foot infection or a joint lining.
Report 28001 when the documented procedure drains a foot bursa; the operative note should identify the bursa and describe the incision and drainage performed. This minor procedure has a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. 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 50% multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery, and 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 28001 pays more and less in Washington
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Rest Of Washington | $171.85 | $87.08 |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | $191.33 | $92.56 |
How the 28001 rate is calculated
Each of 28001’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 · 28001
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 1.95Practice expense 2.88Malpractice 0.18
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 28001
The CMS indicators that decide how 28001 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 28001
Bursa drainage
| 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
28001 without 51 · national office
$167.34
Bursa drainage
28001-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$83.67
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%).
28001 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
28001 vs 28002 vs 28003 vs 20605: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 28002Foot infection drainage
- Choose 28001 for operative drainage directed at a foot bursa. Use 28002 when the procedure is treatment of a foot infection rather than drainage of a specifically identified bursa.
- 28003Foot infection drainage
- 28001 identifies drainage of a foot bursa; 28003 is a foot-infection treatment code. Base selection on the operative target and documented procedure.
- 20605Joint procedure
- 20605 may apply to needle aspiration or injection of an intermediate-size joint or bursa. 28001 is for incision and operative drainage of a foot bursa.
28001 billing questions
How is 28001 distinguished from foot infection drainage codes 28002 and 28003?
Use 28001 when the operative target is a foot bursa. Codes 28002 and 28003 describe treatment of foot infection; choose based on the actual procedure and documented extent rather than substituting a bursa code for broader infection drainage.
Can 28001 be reported for needle aspiration of a foot bursa?
No. 28001 describes operative incision and drainage. Needle aspiration or injection of an applicable joint or bursa is a different service and may fit a code such as 20605 when its site criteria are met.
What documentation supports 28001?
Document the foot bursa treated, the clinical reason for drainage, and the incision and evacuation performed. The record should make clear that the target was the bursa rather than a joint or a broader foot infection.
Which modifiers and assistant-surgeon rules apply?
Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code, and Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
How does the 0-day global period affect same-day care?
Same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included in the procedure's 0-day global period. Separately performed procedures in the same session are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction.
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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