Percutaneous ablation of one or more bone tumors using radiofrequency energy, including treatment of adjacent soft tissue involved by tumor extension, with imaging guidance when performed.
Verified May 8, 2026 · 6 sources ↓
- Medicare
- $3,482.38
- Total RVUs
- 104.26
- Global, days
- 0
- Region
- General
Documentation requirements
What must appear in the operative or office note to support the claim.
Source · Editorial brief grounded in 6 cited references ↓
- Specify the anatomic location(s) of each tumor treated, including bone and laterality
- Document the ablation modality by name — radiofrequency ablation — not just 'tumor ablation' or 'percutaneous procedure'
- Confirm and record whether imaging guidance was used, and identify the modality (CT, fluoroscopy, ultrasound, MRI)
- Describe involvement of adjacent soft tissue if treated, with pathologic or imaging basis for that extension
- Include pre-procedure diagnosis with ICD-10 code distinguishing primary versus metastatic bone tumor
- Record probe placement technique, energy parameters, and treatment endpoint in the operative or procedure note
Applicable modifiers
Modifiers commonly billed with this code.
Source · AMA CPT modifier descriptors · CMS NCCI Policy Manual
What this code covers
Source · Editorial summary grounded in 6 cited references ↓
CPT 20982 covers radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of bone tumors performed through a needle or probe inserted percutaneously. The procedure destroys tumor tissue — and any adjacent soft tissue infiltrated by the tumor — using heat energy. Imaging guidance (CT, fluoroscopy, or ultrasound) is bundled into the code when used; you cannot separately bill a guidance code for the same session. The code applies to metastatic lesions as well as primary bone tumors and is used across diagnostic radiology, orthopedic surgery, and pain management practices.
The global period is 000, meaning no pre- or post-operative services are included — you can bill E/M visits on the same or subsequent days without a modifier restriction from global surgery rules, though standard same-day E/M rules still apply. The site of service matters significantly here: HOPD and ASC payments differ substantially, so confirm your facility's APC assignment before estimating patient cost or evaluating payer contracts.
A recurring billing question involves multiple tumors at different anatomic sites in the same session. The code descriptor uses the plural 'tumors,' which under NCCI MUE rules generally limits reporting to one unit of service per day regardless of how many lesions are treated. If ablation is performed at anatomically distinct sites — for example, a humeral lesion and a femoral lesion in the same session — consult your MAC for guidance, as some payers have accepted separate billing with modifier 59 or XS when distinct sites are documented. Do not assume stacking units is automatically allowed.
RVU & reimbursement
Component RVUs and Medicare national rate. Actual payment varies by GPCI locality.
Source · CMS Physician Fee Schedule, RVU26A · January 2026
| Work RVU | 6.84 |
| Practice expense RVU | 96.34 |
| Malpractice RVU | 1.08 |
| Total RVU | 104.26 |
| Medicare national rate | $3,482.38 |
| Global period | 0 days |
Payment by site of service
Medicare pays different rates by setting. HOPD typically pays substantially more than ASC for the same procedure.
Source · CMS OPPS Addendum B·ASC HCPCS payment rates·2026
| Setting | Medicare rate (national) |
|---|---|
Office (PFS non-facility) Procedure performed in physician's office | $3,482.38 |
HOPD (APC 5116) Hospital outpatient department | $17,913.59 |
ASC (PI G2) Ambulatory surgical center (freestanding) | $9,255.83 |
Common denial reasons
The recurring reasons claims for CPT 20982 get rejected.
Source · Editorial brief grounded in CMS NCCI edits, AAOS coding appeals, and cited references ↓
- Imaging guidance billed separately (e.g., 77013, 76942) when it is already bundled into 20982
- Multiple units of 20982 billed in a single session without documentation supporting distinct anatomic sites and without modifier 59 or XS
- Missing or vague operative note — 'percutaneous tumor ablation' without naming RFA, target bone, or imaging used
- Incorrect facility APC assignment causing underpayment that gets coded as a billing error on reconciliation
- Diagnosis code mismatch — benign bone lesion coded without supporting imaging or pathology confirming malignancy or metastasis
Frequently asked questions
Source · Generated from the editorial pipeline, verified against 6 cited references ↓
01Is imaging guidance separately billable with CPT 20982?
02Can you bill 20982 multiple times in one session for multiple tumors?
03What is the global period for 20982, and does it affect same-day E/M billing?
04What is the difference between CPT 20982 and CPT 20983?
05Can a bone biopsy be billed separately on the same day as 20982?
06Which specialties most commonly bill 20982?
Sources & references
Editorial content was developed using the following public sources. Last verified May 8, 2026.
- 01CMS Physician Fee Schedule 2026
- 02cms.govhttps://www.cms.gov/medicare/regulations-guidance/physician-self-referral/list-cpt-hcpcs-codes
- 03cms.govhttps://www.cms.gov/files/document/08-chapter8-ncci-medicare-policy-manual-2026-final.pdf
- 04cms.govhttps://www.cms.gov/files/document/01-chapter1-ncci-medicare-policy-manual-2025finalcleanpdf.pdf
- 05cms.govhttps://www.cms.gov/files/document/r13575cp.pdf
- 06aapc.comhttps://www.aapc.com/codes/cpt-codes/20982
Mira AI Scribe
Mira's AI scribe captures the target bone(s) and laterality, ablation modality (radiofrequency), imaging guidance type, soft tissue involvement, and energy parameters directly from dictation. This prevents the most common audit flag for 20982 — operative notes that name a percutaneous approach without specifying RFA, the target anatomic site, or whether imaging guidance was integral to the procedure.
See how Mira captures CPT 20982 documentation