CPT code 61510: Brain tumor excision, supratentorial, nonmeningioma2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $2,161.37 for 61510 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 61510 covers

Code 61510 describes an open neurosurgical operation to remove a brain tumor located above the tentorium, excluding meningiomas. The surgeon creates cranial access through craniectomy, trephination, or a bone flap, then excises the tumor. The target is tumor tissue within the brain, not a lesion of the skull bone. These operations are typically performed by a neurosurgeon in an operating room.

Choose the code based on the tumor’s documented type and supratentorial location. The operative report should support the site, tumor excision, and approach. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeons require supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code.

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 61510 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

61510 rates by state

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

How the 61510 rate is calculated

Each of 61510’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 61510

61510 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

61510 compared with similar codes

How to choose

61512Meningioma excisionSupratentorial

Use 61512 for excision of a supratentorial meningioma. Code 61510 describes a supratentorial brain tumor other than a meningioma.

61514Brain abscess surgerySupratentorial

Use 61514 when the operative target is a brain abscess; 61510 is for a brain tumor.

61516Cyst excisionSupratentorial

Use 61516 for excision of a brain cyst. Code 61510 applies to a supratentorial brain tumor other than a meningioma.

61500Skull lesion excisionCraniectomy approach

61500 addresses a tumor or other lesion of skull bone. Code 61510 addresses tumor tissue within the supratentorial brain.

Codes related to 61510

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