Billing code 65272: Corneal wound repairMedicare rate & RVUs in Washington
Reports direct closure of a nonperforating corneal laceration, with or without conjunctival involvement, by an ophthalmic surgeon.
Medicare pays $544.77–$614.36 for 65272 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 65272 covers
An ophthalmologist uses this code to close a laceration that involves the cornea but does not pass through its full thickness. The wound may also involve the conjunctiva. Direct closure, commonly with sutures, distinguishes this service from treatment using tissue adhesive. It is typically performed as urgent ophthalmic surgery when an eye injury requires repair, rather than as routine treatment of a superficial foreign body.
Select the code based on the operative findings: the corneal wound is nonperforating and is closed directly. The operative report should identify the injured tissue, confirm that the wound is nonperforating, and describe the closure performed. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued is paid in full and the others are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted; 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 65272 pays more and less in Washington
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Rest Of Washington | $544.77 | $305.96 |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | $614.36 | $336.08 |
How the 65272 rate is calculated
Each of 65272’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 · 65272
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 4.50Practice expense 10.90Malpractice 0.36
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 65272
65272 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 65272
Corneal wound 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) | 1 | Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount. |
| 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. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.10/0.70/0.20 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 65272
Corneal wound 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 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
65272 without 50 · national office
$526.40
Corneal wound repair
65272-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$789.60
Both sides on one line with modifier 50 are paid at 150% of the fee schedule amount (subject to multiple-procedure rules with other procedures).
65272 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
65272 vs 65270 vs 65273 vs 65275: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 65270Eye wound repair
- Choose 65270 when the laceration involves the conjunctiva, with or without nonperforating scleral involvement. Choose 65272 when the cornea has a nonperforating laceration requiring direct closure.
- 65273Eye wound repair
- Both address nonperforating corneal lacerations. The closure method distinguishes them: 65272 is for direct closure, while 65273 is for tissue adhesive.
- 65275Corneal wound repair
- Use 65275 for a perforating corneal or scleral laceration. This code is for a nonperforating corneal wound.
65272 billing questions
How is this code distinguished from 65270?
This code is for a nonperforating corneal laceration closed directly. Code 65270 applies to a conjunctival laceration, with or without a nonperforating scleral laceration.
When is 65273 used instead?
Code 65273 is the related option when a nonperforating corneal laceration is treated with tissue adhesive. This code describes direct closure.
Does the code include postoperative care?
Yes. Its 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
How is a bilateral repair reported?
CMS treats the procedure as bilateral; reporting modifier 50 results in payment at 150% under the supplied fee schedule rule.
Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be paid?
Assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted for this code. CMS does not permit co-surgeon or team-surgery payment.
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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