CPT code 22556: Thoracic fusion, anterior interbody technique2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $1,598.90 for 22556 nationally in a facility.

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

What 22556 covers

This code describes fusion of a thoracic spinal level through an anterior approach, with limited disc removal to prepare the interspace for fusion. Spine surgeons, including orthopedic spine surgeons and neurosurgeons, typically perform it in a hospital operating room for conditions such as thoracic instability, deformity, or disc disease requiring fusion. The code includes the disc preparation inherent to the fusion, rather than a separate extensive decompression service.

Report it for the thoracic region; cervical and lumbar interbody fusions use different codes. Documentation should identify the spinal level, anterior approach, fusion work, and any additional levels or separately performed services. Code 22585 may be reported for each additional interspace when its requirements are met. The service has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. In a same-session multiple-procedure claim, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Bilateral adjustment is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery and co-surgeon payment are permitted; team surgery is not.

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 22556 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

22556 rates by state

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

How the 22556 rate is calculated

Each of 22556’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 22556

22556 has a 90-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

22556 compared with similar codes

How to choose

22554Cervical fusionAnterior, below C2, no decompression

Both describe anterior interbody fusion with limited disc preparation, but 22554 applies to the cervical region and 22556 to the thoracic region.

22558Anterior fusionLumbar, single interspace

22558 is the lumbar-region anterior interbody fusion code; use 22556 for the thoracic region.

22532Spinal fusionThoracic lateral extracavitary approach

22532 describes thoracic fusion through a lateral extracavitary approach. Code 22556 is for an anterior approach.

22585Anterior fusionAdditional interspace

22556 reports the primary thoracic interspace fusion. Code 22585 is an add-on for each additional interspace, not a substitute for the primary code.

Codes related to 22556

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