CPT code 20702: Drug delivery, intramedullary insertion2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Report this add-on when a surgeon manually prepares and inserts a drug-delivery device into a bone’s medullary canal during a primary procedure.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities819 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $147.97 for 20702 nationally in the office and $122.92 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $132.96–$184.62.

Medicare rate · 20702

Drug delivery, intramedullary insertion

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
2.44
Total RVUs
4.43
Global days
ZZZ

National rate · 2026

$147.97

Office setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 20702 →Billed by an NP, PA or therapist? →

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

Your location

Medicare pays by the payment locality where the service is performed.

On this page 10 sections
  1. Medicare rate
  2. What 20702 covers
  3. By payment locality
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Similar codes
  8. Related codes
  9. Billing questions
  10. Sources

What 20702 covers

This service covers manually preparing a drug-delivery device and placing it within the medullary canal of a bone. A typical example is an antibiotic-loaded cement rod or similar locally medicated device used during surgery for bone infection or an infected orthopedic implant. The orthopedic surgeon or another surgeon performing the primary operation documents the preparation and intramedullary placement; the code is not for a device placed in soft tissue or within a joint.

Report 20702 only with a primary procedure, not as a standalone service. The operative note should identify the bone or canal treated and describe the device preparation and insertion. Distinguish intramedullary placement from a deep, subfascial device or an intra-articular device. CMS classifies this as an add-on code paid within the primary procedure’s global period.

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 20702 pays more and less

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

109 payment localities

$132.96 to $184.62

$132.96$158.79$184.62
One dot per payment locality, office / nonfacility. Hover a dot to see the locality; select it to open that rate.

109 of 109 payment localities

20702 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
Alabama$134.60$112.68
Alaska$184.62$157.94
Arizona$144.06$119.78
Arkansas$132.96$111.45
Atlanta, GA$152.30$126.85
Austin, TX$149.17$122.67
Bakersfield, CA$147.92$120.47
Baltimore area, MD$156.81$129.93
Beaumont, TX$142.29$119.50
Brazoria, TX$144.57$119.74

20702 rates by state

Office rate range in each state. Select a state to see its payment localities.

Explore a state

Local rates. Clear comparisons.

Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.

$132.96

$184.62

Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.

View every state and territory as a table
20702 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$184.621
AL$134.601
AR$132.961
AZ$144.061
CA$146.57–$171.4829
CO$148.571
CT$156.891
DC$163.131
DE$146.121
FL$153.99–$175.043
GA$145.70–$152.302
GU$147.941
HI$147.941
IA$133.841
ID$135.331
IL$152.82–$169.984
IN$135.901
KS$135.041
KY$141.011
LA$141.52–$147.242
MA$148.60–$159.232
MD$148.04–$163.133
ME$137.77–$141.482
MI$145.72–$157.442
MN$137.901
MO$140.63–$145.593
MS$136.731
MT$147.931
NC$138.701
ND$138.241
NE$133.931
NH$147.971
NJ$157.42–$162.232
NM$147.101
NV$145.281
NY$140.60–$176.685
OH$143.741
OK$138.961
OR$142.90–$150.642
PA$142.96–$154.652
PR$148.271
RI$149.401
SC$141.701
SD$137.101
TN$135.831
TX$142.29–$154.428
UT$143.291
VA$142.30–$163.132
VI$148.271
VT$139.381
WA$147.77–$160.422
WI$134.541
WV$148.461
WY$143.711

How the 20702 rate is calculated

Each of 20702’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 · 20702

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work2.44

2.44 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense1.50

1.50 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.49

0.49 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

4.4300

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$147.97

Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 20702

The CMS indicators that decide how 20702 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 20702

Drug delivery, intramedullary insertion

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global periodZZZAdd-on code: falls within the primary procedure’s global period.
Multiple procedures0No multiple-procedure reduction.
Bilateral (modifier 50)0The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)0Not paid without supporting documentation.
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.

20702 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 20702

    Drug delivery, intramedullary insertion2.44 wRVU

    $147.97

  • 20700

    Drug-delivery device, deep placement1.46 wRVU

    $84.84−$63.13

  • 20703

    Device removal, intramedullary placement1.76 wRVU

    $108.55−$39.42

  • 20704

    Drug device placement, intra-articular preparation and insertion2.54 wRVU

    $155.65+$7.68

How to choose

20700Drug-delivery deviceDeep placement
Use 20702 when the device is placed in a bone’s medullary canal. Use 20700 for deep placement, such as subfascial placement.
20703Device removalIntramedullary placement
20702 covers manual preparation and insertion into the medullary canal; 20703 covers removal of an intramedullary drug-delivery device.
20704Drug device placementIntra-articular preparation and insertion
Use 20704 for a manually prepared device placed inside a joint. Use 20702 for placement within a bone’s medullary canal.

20702 billing questions

Can 20702 be reported by itself?

No. It is an add-on code and must be reported with a primary procedure.

How is 20702 different from 20700?

20702 describes insertion into a bone’s medullary canal. 20700 is for a deep, such as subfascial, drug-delivery device.

Does removal of an intramedullary device use 20702?

No. 20702 covers manual preparation and insertion. Removal of an intramedullary drug-delivery device is described by 20703.

What documentation supports 20702?

Document the device preparation, its insertion into the medullary canal, and the bone treated. The claim must also include the primary procedure.

Is a device placed inside a joint reported with 20702?

No. 20702 is for intramedullary placement; 20704 describes manual preparation and insertion of an intra-articular drug-delivery device.

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
RVUs for 20702PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 1,792 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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