CPT code 22511: Vertebroplasty, lumbosacral, one vertebral body2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $1,773.92 for 22511 nationally in the office and $361.40 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $1,545.18–$2,446.33.

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

What 22511 covers

This percutaneous procedure stabilizes one lumbosacral vertebral body by injecting bone cement, usually to treat a painful compression fracture related to osteoporosis or a destructive lesion. An interventional radiologist, neuroradiologist, or spine surgeon typically performs it under imaging guidance in a hospital outpatient department or ambulatory surgery center. It does not use a balloon or other mechanical device to create a cavity. A bone biopsy performed during the procedure is included in the service.

Report 22511 for one treated body whether cement is injected through unilateral or bilateral access; modifier 50 is inappropriate. Use 22512 for each additional treated body. Documentation should identify the vertebral level, indication, number of bodies treated, and procedure performed, including whether cavity creation was used. Related postoperative visits during the 10-day global period are 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% reduction. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code; 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 22511 pays more and less

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

109 of 109 payment localities

22511 rates by state

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

How the 22511 rate is calculated

Each of 22511’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.

Payment rules and modifiers for 22511

22511 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 51

22511 compared with similar codes

How to choose

22510VertebroplastyCervicothoracic vertebral body

22510 is the one-body vertebroplasty code for the cervicothoracic region; 22511 is for the lumbosacral region.

22512VertebroplastyEach additional vertebral body

22512 reports each additional vertebral body treated after the primary vertebroplasty, not the first lumbosacral body.

22514Vertebral augmentationLumbar, one vertebral body

22514 is for lumbar vertebral augmentation with mechanical cavity creation. Use 22511 when performing lumbosacral vertebroplasty without that method.

Codes related to 22511

Related codes aren’t interchangeable: bill the code that matches the service performed.

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

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates