The following table lists the top 25 surgical procedures performed at physician groups. Of all the surgical procedures performed at physician groups in 2018, the top 25 made up more than 60 percent. The most common procedure by far is “routine venipuncture” (CPT code 36415), which accounted for just over 26 percent of all physician group procedures. The second most common procedure by volume is “draining or injection of a major joint” (CPT code 20610), which comprised only 3 percent of all surgical procedures by volume.
Combined charges for the top 25 procedures by volume total more than $7 billion, with an overall average cost of $452 per procedure.
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| CPT/HCPCS Code | Description | # of Procedures | Avg. Charge/Procedure | Explore These Claims | |
| 1. | 36415 | Routine venipuncture | 17,696,972 | $14 | Explore This Code |
| 2. | 20610 | Drain/inj joint/bursa w/o us | 2,441,477 | $240 | Explore This Code |
| 3. | 17000 | Destruct premalg lesion | 1,801,010 | $129 | Explore This Code |
| 4. | 11100 | Biopsy skin lesion | 1,636,620 | $187 | Explore This Code |
| 5. | 36416 | Capillary blood draw | 1,478,777 | $15 | Explore This Code |
| 6. | 17110 | Destruct b9 lesion 1-14 | 1,437,026 | $202 | Explore This Code |
| 7. | 17003 | Destruct premalg les 2-14 | 1,226,040 | $85 | Explore This Code |
| 8. | 51798 | Us urine capacity measure | 1,137,877 | $69 | Explore This Code |
| 9. | 67028 | Injection eye drug | 1,050,105 | $479 | Explore This Code |
| 10. | 11721 | Debride nail 6 or more | 979,485 | $80 | Explore This Code |
| 11. | 43239 | Egd biopsy single/multiple | 937,536 | $869 | Explore This Code |
| 12. | 45380 | Colonoscopy and biopsy | 741,703 | $1,105 | Explore This Code |
| 13. | 69210 | Remove impacted ear wax uni | 650,046 | $120 | Explore This Code |
| 14. | 59025 | Fetal non-stress test | 641,278 | $131 | Explore This Code |
| 15. | 66984 | XCAPSL CTRC RMVL W/O ECP | 566,303 | $1,920 | Explore This Code |
| 16. | 45385 | Colonoscopy w/lesion removal | 556,031 | $1,238 | Explore This Code |
| 17. | 20550 | Inj tendon sheath/ligament | 506,748 | $178 | Explore This Code |
| 18. | 45378 | Diagnostic colonoscopy | 467,421 | $943 | Explore This Code |
| 19. | 11101 | Biopsy skin add-on | 448,519 | $108 | Explore This Code |
| 20. | 52000 | Cystoscopy | 432,094 | $546 | Explore This Code |
| 21. | 31231 | Nasal endoscopy dx | 421,549 | $507 | Explore This Code |
| 22. | 20611 | Drain/inj joint/bursa w/us | 420,377 | $407 | Explore This Code |
| 23. | 11042 | Deb subq tissue 20 sq cm/< | 377,712 | $244 | Explore This Code |
| 24. | 64483 | Inj foramen epidural l/s | 371,624 | $1,152 | Explore This Code |
| 25. | 31575 | Diagnostic laryngoscopy | 357,601 | $336 | Explore This Code |
Fig 1. Data from Definitive Healthcare based on 2018 commercial claims data. Commercial claims data is sourced from multiple medical claims clearinghouses in the United States. Data is updated monthly.