CPT code 61510: Brain tumor excision, supratentorial, nonmeningioma2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Reports open removal of a supratentorial brain tumor other than a meningioma, using cranial access created by craniectomy, trephination, or bone flap.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 61510 in Texas.
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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On this page 9 sections
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 in Texas
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
8 of 8 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Austin, TX | Unavailable | $2,157.89 |
| Beaumont, TX | Unavailable | $2,065.23 |
| Brazoria, TX | Unavailable | $2,069.91 |
| Dallas, TX | Unavailable | $2,107.52 |
| Fort Worth, TX | Unavailable | $2,105.65 |
| Galveston, TX | Unavailable | $2,091.64 |
| Houston, TX | Unavailable | $2,323.00 |
| Rest of Texas | Unavailable | $2,082.93 |
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.
How the rate is built · 61510
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work30.06
30.06 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense22.01
22.01 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice12.64
12.64 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
64.7100
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$2,161.37
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 61510
61510 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 61510
Brain tumor excision, supratentorial, nonmeningioma
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 090 | Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included. |
| Multiple procedures | 2 | Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 2 | Paid. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.11/0.76/0.13 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 61510
Brain tumor excision, supratentorial, nonmeningioma
90-day global period ends
Dec 30, 2026
Covers Sep 30, 2026 through Dec 30, 2026 (92 days, including the day before surgery).
Visit on Oct 31, 2026
Day 30 of the 90-day post-op period: related follow-up care is included in the surgical payment.
Pre-op dayGlobal period
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
61510 without 51 · national facility
$2,161.37
Brain tumor excision, supratentorial, nonmeningioma
61510-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$1,080.69
When this isn’t the highest-valued procedure in the session, Medicare pays 50% of its fee schedule amount (the highest is paid at 100%).
61510 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
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.
61510 billing questions
How does 61510 differ from 61512?
61510 is for a supratentorial brain tumor other than a meningioma. Use 61512 when the excised tumor is a meningioma.
Would 61510 cover removal of a brain abscess or cyst?
No. The nearby codes distinguish those targets: 61514 is for a brain abscess and 61516 is for a brain cyst.
What documentation supports reporting 61510?
The operative report should identify the supratentorial brain tumor, describe its excision, and document the cranial approach. The documented target should distinguish a brain tumor from a skull-bone lesion.
Does the craniectomy or bone-flap access get reported separately?
The cranial access is part of the tumor-excision service represented by 61510. The code describes the access and excision together.
How do the global period and multiple-procedure rules affect billing?
The 90-day global includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. In the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
An assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeons are paid only with supporting documentation; team surgery is not permitted.
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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