CPT code 22552: Cervical fusion, each additional interspace2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in North Carolina
Reports each additional cervical interspace fused through an anterior approach after the primary-level procedure in a multilevel cervical fusion.
In North Carolina, Medicare pays $322.96 for 22552 in a facility. There’s no office rate.
Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 22552 nationwide
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 11 sections
What 22552 covers
22552 represents an additional cervical interspace fused through an anterior approach after the surgeon performs the primary-level work. A spine surgeon prepares the additional disc space and creates an interbody fusion; disc removal and neural decompression are part of the service when performed. Typical cases include multilevel cervical degenerative disc disease or stenosis treated in an operating room.
Report 22552 only with 22551, for each additional interspace beyond the first qualifying cervical level. The operative report should identify the fused interspaces, the anterior approach, and the work at each level. This is an add-on code, not a stand-alone service, and CMS pays it within the primary procedure’s global period. Report instrumentation or graft services under their own codes when separately reportable.
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.
How North Carolina compares for 22552
Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the facility rate for 22552 runs from $301.52 in Wisconsin to $463.21 in Miami, FL. North Carolina pays $322.96. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.
- North Carolina · this page$322.96
- Los Angeles, CA · California$351.18+$28.22
- Washington, DC area · District of Columbia$385.07+$62.11
- Miami, FL · Florida$463.21+$140.25
- Chicago, IL · Illinois$445.72+$122.76
- Manhattan, NY · New York$419.23+$96.27
- Alaska · Alaska$432.06+$109.10
Other areas in North Carolina first, then benchmark localities. Bars start at $0.
Every other payment area
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| AlabamaAlabama | — | $313.71 |
| ArkansasArkansas | — | $309.00 |
| ArizonaArizona | — | $340.74 |
| Bakersfield, CACalifornia | — | $336.48 |
| Chico, CACalifornia | — | $330.93 |
| El Centro, CACalifornia | — | $331.28 |
| Fresno, CACalifornia | — | $330.93 |
| Hanford, CACalifornia | — | $330.93 |
| Madera, CACalifornia | — | $330.93 |
| Merced, CACalifornia | — | $330.93 |
| Modesto, CACalifornia | — | $330.93 |
| Napa, CACalifornia | — | $354.50 |
| Oxnard, CACalifornia | — | $345.48 |
| Redding, CACalifornia | — | $330.93 |
| Rest of CaliforniaCalifornia | — | $330.93 |
| Riverside, CACalifornia | — | $353.38 |
| Sacramento, CACalifornia | — | $339.72 |
| Salinas, CACalifornia | — | $338.38 |
| San Diego, CACalifornia | — | $341.22 |
| Marin County, CACalifornia | — | $364.39 |
| San Francisco, CACalifornia | — | $362.00 |
| San Benito County, CACalifornia | — | $375.24 |
| Santa Clara County, CACalifornia | — | $365.49 |
| San Luis Obispo, CACalifornia | — | $333.99 |
| Santa Cruz, CACalifornia | — | $340.24 |
| Santa Maria, CACalifornia | — | $338.24 |
| Santa Rosa, CACalifornia | — | $343.08 |
| Stockton, CACalifornia | — | $330.93 |
| Vallejo, CACalifornia | — | $351.07 |
| Visalia, CACalifornia | — | $330.93 |
| Yuba City, CACalifornia | — | $330.93 |
| ColoradoColorado | — | $344.78 |
| ConnecticutConnecticut | — | $377.49 |
| DelawareDelaware | — | $346.17 |
| Fort Lauderdale, FLFlorida | — | $410.65 |
| Rest of FloridaFlorida | — | $385.20 |
| Atlanta, GAGeorgia | — | $368.92 |
| Rest of GeorgiaGeorgia | — | $358.83 |
| Hawaii, Guam, HIHawaii | — | $333.26 |
| IowaIowa | — | $304.70 |
| IdahoIdaho | — | $310.39 |
| East St. Louis, ILIllinois | — | $418.48 |
| Rest of IllinoisIllinois | — | $386.35 |
| Suburban Chicago, ILIllinois | — | $410.60 |
| IndianaIndiana | — | $311.80 |
| KansasKansas | — | $311.43 |
| KentuckyKentucky | — | $339.19 |
| New Orleans, LALouisiana | — | $358.39 |
| Rest of LouisianaLouisiana | — | $341.92 |
| Metropolitan Boston, MAMassachusetts | — | $367.82 |
| Rest of MassachusettsMassachusetts | — | $345.97 |
| Baltimore area, MDMaryland | — | $378.25 |
| Rest of MarylandMaryland | — | $350.27 |
| Rest of MaineMaine | — | $320.84 |
| Southern Maine, MEMaine | — | $326.52 |
| Detroit, MIMichigan | — | $398.67 |
| Rest of MichiganMichigan | — | $355.91 |
| MinnesotaMinnesota | — | $305.73 |
| Metropolitan Kansas City, MOMissouri | — | $347.09 |
| Metropolitan St. Louis, MOMissouri | — | $349.77 |
| Rest of MissouriMissouri | — | $341.41 |
| MississippiMississippi | — | $324.85 |
| MontanaMontana | — | $352.91 |
| North DakotaNorth Dakota | — | $311.38 |
| NebraskaNebraska | — | $303.94 |
| New HampshireNew Hampshire | — | $347.20 |
| Northern New JerseyNew Jersey | — | $382.54 |
| Rest of New JerseyNew Jersey | — | $374.87 |
| New MexicoNew Mexico | — | $361.24 |
| NevadaNevada | — | $341.40 |
| NYC suburbs and Long Island, NYNew York | — | $440.16 |
| Poughkeepsie and northern NYC suburbs, NYNew York | — | $384.07 |
| Queens, NYNew York | — | $410.55 |
| Rest of New YorkNew York | — | $328.66 |
| OhioOhio | — | $347.42 |
| OklahomaOklahoma | — | $329.79 |
| Portland, OROregon | — | $346.38 |
| Rest of OregonOregon | — | $331.93 |
| Metropolitan Philadelphia, PAPennsylvania | — | $373.31 |
| Rest of PennsylvaniaPennsylvania | — | $343.36 |
| Puerto RicoPuerto Rico | — | $352.78 |
| Rhode IslandRhode Island | — | $351.84 |
| South CarolinaSouth Carolina | — | $337.12 |
| South DakotaSouth Dakota | — | $306.47 |
| TennesseeTennessee | — | $314.10 |
| Austin, TXTexas | — | $349.60 |
| Beaumont, TXTexas | — | $341.66 |
| Brazoria, TXTexas | — | $338.67 |
| Dallas, TXTexas | — | $344.71 |
| Fort Worth, TXTexas | — | $344.91 |
| Galveston, TXTexas | — | $342.18 |
| Houston, TXTexas | — | $380.62 |
| Rest of TexasTexas | — | $342.62 |
| UtahUtah | — | $341.62 |
| VirginiaVirginia | — | $331.22 |
| Virgin Islands, VIUnited States Virgin Islands | — | $352.78 |
| VermontVermont | — | $317.69 |
| Rest of WashingtonWashington | — | $342.81 |
| King County, WAWashington | — | $366.95 |
| WisconsinWisconsin | — | $301.52 |
| West VirginiaWest Virginia | — | $373.96 |
| WyomingWyoming | — | $334.81 |
22552 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.
View every state and territory as a table
| State / territory | Office rate range | Localities |
|---|---|---|
| AK | No published base rate | 1 |
| AL | No published base rate | 1 |
| AR | No published base rate | 1 |
| AZ | No published base rate | 1 |
| CA | No published base rate | 29 |
| CO | No published base rate | 1 |
| CT | No published base rate | 1 |
| DC | No published base rate | 1 |
| DE | No published base rate | 1 |
| FL | No published base rate | 3 |
| GA | No published base rate | 2 |
| GU | No published base rate | 1 |
| HI | No published base rate | 1 |
| IA | No published base rate | 1 |
| ID | No published base rate | 1 |
| IL | No published base rate | 4 |
| IN | No published base rate | 1 |
| KS | No published base rate | 1 |
| KY | No published base rate | 1 |
| LA | No published base rate | 2 |
| MA | No published base rate | 2 |
| MD | No published base rate | 3 |
| ME | No published base rate | 2 |
| MI | No published base rate | 2 |
| MN | No published base rate | 1 |
| MO | No published base rate | 3 |
| MS | No published base rate | 1 |
| MT | No published base rate | 1 |
| NC | No published base rate | 1 |
| ND | No published base rate | 1 |
| NE | No published base rate | 1 |
| NH | No published base rate | 1 |
| NJ | No published base rate | 2 |
| NM | No published base rate | 1 |
| NV | No published base rate | 1 |
| NY | No published base rate | 5 |
| OH | No published base rate | 1 |
| OK | No published base rate | 1 |
| OR | No published base rate | 2 |
| PA | No published base rate | 2 |
| PR | No published base rate | 1 |
| RI | No published base rate | 1 |
| SC | No published base rate | 1 |
| SD | No published base rate | 1 |
| TN | No published base rate | 1 |
| TX | No published base rate | 8 |
| UT | No published base rate | 1 |
| VA | No published base rate | 2 |
| VI | No published base rate | 1 |
| VT | No published base rate | 1 |
| WA | No published base rate | 2 |
| WI | No published base rate | 1 |
| WV | No published base rate | 1 |
| WY | No published base rate | 1 |
How the 22552 rate is calculated
Each of 22552’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 · 22552
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work6.34
6.34 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense2.13
2.13 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice2.10
2.10 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
10.5700
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$353.05
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
The exact North Carolina inputs and CMS source lines
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
2,084
- Code
- 22552
- Physician work
- 6.34
- Practice expense
- 2.13
- Malpractice
- 2.10
GPCI2026.csv
83
- Locality
- North Carolina
- Physician work
- 1.000
- Practice expense
- 0.933
- Malpractice
- 0.639
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 6.34 | × 1.000 | 6.3400 |
| Practice expense | 2.13 | × 0.933 | 1.9873 |
| Malpractice | 2.10 | × 0.639 | 1.3419 |
| Total RVUs | 9.6692 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Facility rate, North Carolina$322.96
Facility: (6.34 × 1 + 2.13 × 0.933 + 2.1 × 0.639) × $33.4009 = $322.96
Payment rules and modifiers for 22552
The CMS indicators that decide how 22552 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 22552
Cervical fusion, each additional interspace
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | ZZZ | Add-on code: falls within the primary procedure’s global period. |
| Multiple procedures | 0 | No multiple-procedure reduction. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 2 | Paid. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 2 | Permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 80 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
22552 without 80 · national facility
$353.05
Cervical fusion, each additional interspace
22552-80 · Assistant: 16%
$56.49
A physician assistant at surgery is paid 16% of the surgeon’s fee schedule amount.
How 22552 has changed in North Carolina
22552 · Office / nonfacility
Rate unavailable
Effective 2026-10-01
A rate is unavailable in one of these releases, so a change cannot be calculated.
One bar per available release, ordered by effective date. Missing rates remain gaps. These comparisons hold the code, setting and locality identifiers constant; they do not isolate which policy or input caused a change.
What changed, release by release
| Effective from | Office | Facility | CMS release |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $322.96 | RVU26D |
| 2026-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $322.96 | RVU26C |
| 2026-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $322.96 | RVU26B |
| 2026-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $322.96 | RVU26A |
| 2025-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $354.40 | RVU25D |
| 2025-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $354.40 | RVU25C |
| 2025-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $354.40 | RVU25B |
| 2025-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $354.40 | RVU25A |
| 2024-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $362.77 | RVU24D |
| 2024-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $362.77 | RVU24C |
| 2024-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $362.77 | RVU24B |
| 2024-03-09 | Not available in this setting | $362.77 | RVU24AR |
| 2024-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $356.85 | RVU24A |
| 2023-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $373.72 | RVU23D |
| 2023-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $373.72 | RVU23C |
| 2023-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $373.72 | RVU23B |
| 2023-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $373.72 | RVU23A |
| 2022-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $384.03 | RVU22D |
| 2022-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $384.03 | RVU22C |
| 2022-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $384.03 | RVU22B |
| 2022-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $384.03 | RVU22A |
| 2021-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $385.86 | RVU21D |
| 2021-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $385.86 | RVU21C |
| 2021-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $385.86 | RVU21B |
| 2021-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $385.86 | RVU21A |
| 2020-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $391.84 | RVU20D |
| 2020-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $391.84 | RVU20C |
| 2020-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $391.84 | RVU20B |
| 2020-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $391.84 | RVU20A |
| 2019-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $389.11 | RVU19D |
| 2019-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $389.11 | RVU19C |
| 2019-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $389.11 | RVU19B |
| 2019-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $389.11 | RVU19A |
| 2018-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $388.94 | RVU18D |
| 2018-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $388.94 | RVU18C |
| 2018-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $388.94 | RVU18B |
| 2018-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $388.94 | RVU18AR1 |
| 2017-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $391.57 | RVU17D |
| 2017-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $391.57 | RVU17C |
| 2017-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $391.57 | RVU17B |
| 2017-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $391.57 | RVU17A |
| 2016-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $394.30 | RVU16D |
| 2016-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $394.30 | RVU16C |
| 2016-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $394.30 | RVU16B |
| 2016-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $394.30 | RVU16A |
| 2015-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $397.17 | RVU15D |
| 2015-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $397.17 | RVU15C |
| 2015-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $395.19 | RVU15B |
| 2015-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $395.19 | RVU15A |
| 2014-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $381.59 | RVU14D |
| 2014-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $381.59 | RVU14C |
| 2014-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $381.59 | RVU14B |
| 2014-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $381.59 | RVU14A |
| 2013-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $368.90 | RVU13D |
| 2013-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $368.90 | RVU13C |
| 2013-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $368.90 | RVU13B |
| 2013-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $368.90 | RVU13AR |
Where the North Carolina rate applies
North Carolina is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 785 cities and communities in North Carolina. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.
- Aberdeen
- Advance
- Ahoskie
- Alamance
- Albemarle
- Alexis
- Alliance
- Altamahaw
22552 billing questions
Can 22552 be reported without 22551?
No. Report 22552 with 22551 when the surgeon fuses one or more additional cervical interspaces through the anterior approach.
How many units of 22552 should be reported?
Report one unit for each additional fused interspace beyond the first level represented by 22551.
What documentation supports an additional-level claim?
The operative report should identify each interspace fused, confirm the anterior approach, and distinguish the additional level from the primary level.
Is disc removal or decompression separately reported at the added level?
Disc preparation and decompression performed as part of the anterior fusion service are included in the 22551/22552 coding structure; do not unbundle that work.
How does 22552 differ from 22585?
22552 is for additional cervical interspaces paired with 22551. 22585 is the additional-interspace code used for the corresponding anterior interbody fusion work in the thoracic or lumbar region.
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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