CPT code 22610: Spinal fusion, posterior thoracic, single level2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $1,255.54 for 22610 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 22610 covers

A spine surgeon performs this fusion through a posterior approach, joining one thoracic spinal level to promote bone union and stability. It may be part of surgery for thoracic instability, deformity, or a fracture requiring stabilization. These procedures are typically performed in a hospital operating room; Medicare’s 2024 claims show facility services for this code and no office services.

Select the code when the operative report supports a posterior or posterolateral fusion at a single thoracic level. Document the spinal region, level fused, approach, and fusion work performed; use the applicable add-on code when additional levels are fused. Graft material and spinal instrumentation may be reported separately when the work and applicable coding requirements support them. This major surgery has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment and co-surgeons 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 22610 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

22610 rates by state

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

How the 22610 rate is calculated

Each of 22610’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 22610

22610 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

22610 compared with similar codes

How to choose

22600Cervical fusionPosterior, one interspace

Use 22600 for a single-level posterior or posterolateral cervical fusion. Code 22610 is for the thoracic region.

22612Spinal fusionPosterior lumbar, single level

Use 22612 for a single-level posterior or posterolateral lumbar fusion. Code 22610 is for the thoracic region.

22614Spinal fusionEach additional level

22614 reports each qualifying additional spinal level and is an add-on, not the primary code for a single-level fusion.

22630Lumbar fusionSingle lumbar interspace

22630 describes lumbar interbody fusion, rather than the single-level posterior or posterolateral thoracic fusion reported with 22610.

Codes related to 22610

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