CPT code 61514: Brain abscess surgery, supratentorial2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in California
Reports open cranial surgery to excise a brain abscess located above the tentorium, performed by a neurosurgeon in an operative setting.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 61514 in California.
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 61514 covers
A neurosurgeon uses a cranial opening, such as a craniectomy, trephination, or bone-flap craniotomy, to reach and excise an abscess in the supratentorial brain. This code is for operative treatment of an intracranial infection, rather than removal of a tumor or meningioma. The service is typically performed in a hospital operating room, with the operative report identifying the abscess and its location above the tentorium.
Report the code when the operative service matches the supratentorial abscess procedure, not merely because imaging or pathology identifies an abscess. Documentation should describe the cranial approach, target and location, and work performed to excise it. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period: the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during that period are included. For multiple procedures in one 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-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation. Team surgery is not permitted.
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 61514 pays more and less in California
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
29 of 29 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield, CA | Unavailable | $1,787.71 |
| Chico, CA | Unavailable | $1,759.00 |
| El Centro, CA | Unavailable | $1,760.84 |
| Fresno, CA | Unavailable | $1,759.00 |
| Hanford, CA | Unavailable | $1,759.00 |
| Los Angeles, CA | Unavailable | $1,879.86 |
| Madera, CA | Unavailable | $1,759.00 |
| Marin County, CA | Unavailable | $1,988.63 |
| Merced, CA | Unavailable | $1,759.00 |
| Modesto, CA | Unavailable | $1,759.00 |
| Napa, CA | Unavailable | $1,923.00 |
| Oxnard, CA | Unavailable | $1,852.59 |
| Redding, CA | Unavailable | $1,759.00 |
| Rest of California | Unavailable | $1,759.00 |
| Riverside, CA | Unavailable | $1,876.88 |
| Sacramento, CA | Unavailable | $1,816.15 |
| Salinas, CA | Unavailable | $1,809.31 |
| San Benito County, CA | Unavailable | $2,049.60 |
| San Diego, CA | Unavailable | $1,832.89 |
| San Francisco, CA | Unavailable | $1,976.08 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | Unavailable | $1,784.86 |
| Santa Clara County, CA | Unavailable | $1,998.30 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | Unavailable | $1,834.13 |
| Santa Maria, CA | Unavailable | $1,810.86 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | Unavailable | $1,849.93 |
| Stockton, CA | Unavailable | $1,759.00 |
| Vallejo, CA | Unavailable | $1,904.91 |
| Visalia, CA | Unavailable | $1,759.00 |
| Yuba City, CA | Unavailable | $1,759.00 |
How the 61514 rate is calculated
Each of 61514’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 · 61514
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work26.55
26.55 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense18.01
18.01 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice11.05
11.05 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
55.6100
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$1,857.42
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 61514
61514 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 61514
Brain abscess surgery, supratentorial
| 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 · 61514
Brain abscess surgery, supratentorial
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
61514 without 51 · national facility
$1,857.42
Brain abscess surgery, supratentorial
61514-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$928.71
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%).
61514 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 61510Brain tumor excisionSupratentorial, nonmeningioma
- Use 61514 for a supratentorial brain abscess. Use 61510 when the target is a supratentorial brain tumor other than a meningioma.
- 61512Meningioma excisionSupratentorial
- Use 61512 for excision of a supratentorial meningioma; 61514 identifies an abscess as the operative target.
- 61516Cyst excisionSupratentorial
- Use 61516 for a supratentorial brain cyst. The diagnosis and operative target for 61514 are a brain abscess.
61514 billing questions
How is this code distinguished from brain tumor excision?
Use this code for excision of a supratentorial brain abscess. Code 61510 is for a supratentorial brain tumor other than a meningioma.
What operative documentation supports this code?
The operative report should identify the abscess, establish its supratentorial location, and describe the cranial approach and excision performed.
Does the 90-day global period include postoperative care?
Yes. The day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during the 90-day period are included.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
An assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted.
How does Medicare handle multiple procedures in the same session?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction.
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
Show the CMS file lines behind this rate
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