CPT code 22843: Spinal fixation, 7–12 vertebral segments2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Florida
Reports posterior segmental fixation spanning 7–12 vertebral segments, commonly placed with spinal fusion or reconstruction to stabilize a long spinal construct.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 22843 in Florida.
Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.
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What 22843 covers
Code 22843 represents posterior segmental fixation spanning 7 through 12 vertebral segments. Typical constructs use pedicle screws and rods or other segmental anchors, such as multiple hooks or sublaminar wires, to stabilize a long portion of the spine. Orthopedic spine surgeons and neurosurgeons commonly place this instrumentation during facility-based operations for spinal fusion, deformity correction, or extensive instability.
Choose the code by counting the vertebral segments instrumented, not the disc spaces fused. The operative report should identify the spinal levels and describe the fixation construct so the 7–12 segment span is supported. This is an add-on code: report it only with an appropriate primary procedure. CMS pays it within that primary procedure’s global period, rather than assigning it a separate 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 22843 pays more and less in Florida
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Lauderdale, FL | Unavailable | $846.70 |
| Miami, FL | Unavailable | $954.61 |
| Rest of Florida | Unavailable | $794.42 |
How the 22843 rate is calculated
Each of 22843’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 · 22843
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work13.10
13.10 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense4.40
4.40 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice4.31
4.31 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
21.8100
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$728.47
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 22843
The CMS indicators that decide how 22843 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 22843
Spinal fixation, 7–12 vertebral segments
| 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
22843 without 80 · national facility
$728.47
Spinal fixation, 7–12 vertebral segments
22843-80 · Assistant: 16%
$116.56
A physician assistant at surgery is paid 16% of the surgeon’s fee schedule amount.
22843 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 22842Spinal fixationPosterior, three to six segments
- Use 22842 when posterior segmental fixation covers 3–6 vertebral segments. Use 22843 when the construct includes 7–12.
- 22844Spinal fixationPosterior, 13 or more segments
- Use 22844 for posterior segmental fixation spanning 13 or more vertebral segments; 22843 is limited to 7–12.
- 22840Spinal fixationPosterior, nonsegmental
- 22840 describes posterior nonsegmental fixation. Choose 22843 when the construct uses segmental fixation across 7–12 vertebral segments.
- 22853Interbody deviceWith interbody arthrodesis
- 22853 describes placement of an interbody biomechanical device, not the long posterior fixation construct reported with 22843.
22843 billing questions
How is 22843 distinguished from 22842 or 22844?
Count the vertebral segments included in the posterior segmental construct. Code 22843 is for 7–12 segments; 22842 covers a shorter span, and 22844 covers a longer one.
Does 22843 require a primary procedure?
Yes. It is an add-on code and must be reported with an eligible primary procedure, such as a spinal fusion when the operative work supports both services.
Are instrumented segments the same as fusion levels?
No. Select the code from the vertebral segments included in the fixation construct, not simply the number of disc spaces fused. The operative report should make the instrumented span clear.
Can 22843 be reported with an interbody device code?
It may be reported with a separate interbody-device service, such as 22853, when that device is placed and the documentation supports both services. The fixation construct and interbody device represent different work.
Does 22843 have its own global period?
No separate global period is assigned. Payment is within the global period of the primary procedure.
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
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