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CPT code 61518: Brain tumor excision, infratentorial, non-meningioma2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Open resection of an infratentorial brain tumor other than meningioma, typically reported for posterior fossa tumors treated by craniectomy.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities1.3K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $2,685.10 for 61518 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 61518

Brain tumor excision, infratentorial, non-meningioma

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
38.89
Total RVUs
80.39
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$2,685.10

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 61518 →Billed by an NP, PA or therapist? →

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

Your location

Medicare pays by the payment locality where the service is performed.

On this page 10 sections
  1. Medicare rate
  2. What 61518 covers
  3. By payment locality
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Similar codes
  8. Related codes
  9. Billing questions
  10. Sources

What 61518 covers

A neurosurgeon uses an open cranial approach to remove an infratentorial brain tumor, meaning a tumor below the tentorium, in the posterior fossa. A cerebellar tumor is a typical example. This code distinguishes such tumors from meningiomas and from supratentorial tumors; the operative report should establish the lesion’s location and that it was removed.

Report the service when the operative work matches the infratentorial, non-meningioma tumor category. Documentation should identify the tumor site and describe the surgical exposure and resection. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeons are paid only with supporting documentation. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this service, and 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 61518 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

61518 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$2,342.78
AlaskaUnavailable$3,143.46
ArizonaUnavailable$2,580.31
ArkansasUnavailable$2,301.45
Atlanta, GAUnavailable$2,812.39
Austin, TXUnavailable$2,673.99
Bakersfield, CAUnavailable$2,576.41
Baltimore area, MDUnavailable$2,896.80
Beaumont, TXUnavailable$2,570.74
Brazoria, TXUnavailable$2,567.58

61518 rates by state

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

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Local rates. Clear comparisons.

Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.

View every state and territory as a table
61518 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AKNo published base rate1
ALNo published base rate1
ARNo published base rate1
AZNo published base rate1
CANo published base rate29
CONo published base rate1
CTNo published base rate1
DCNo published base rate1
DENo published base rate1
FLNo published base rate3
GANo published base rate2
GUNo published base rate1
HINo published base rate1
IANo published base rate1
IDNo published base rate1
ILNo published base rate4
INNo published base rate1
KSNo published base rate1
KYNo published base rate1
LANo published base rate2
MANo published base rate2
MDNo published base rate3
MENo published base rate2
MINo published base rate2
MNNo published base rate1
MONo published base rate3
MSNo published base rate1
MTNo published base rate1
NCNo published base rate1
NDNo published base rate1
NENo published base rate1
NHNo published base rate1
NJNo published base rate2
NMNo published base rate1
NVNo published base rate1
NYNo published base rate5
OHNo published base rate1
OKNo published base rate1
ORNo published base rate2
PANo published base rate2
PRNo published base rate1
RINo published base rate1
SCNo published base rate1
SDNo published base rate1
TNNo published base rate1
TXNo published base rate8
UTNo published base rate1
VANo published base rate2
VINo published base rate1
VTNo published base rate1
WANo published base rate2
WINo published base rate1
WVNo published base rate1
WYNo published base rate1

How the 61518 rate is calculated

Each of 61518’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 · 61518

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work38.89

38.89 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense25.12

25.12 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice16.38

16.38 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

80.3900

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$2,685.10

Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 61518

61518 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 61518

Brain tumor excision, infratentorial, non-meningioma

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period090Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included.
Multiple procedures2Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%.
Bilateral (modifier 50)0The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)2Paid.
Co-surgeons (62)1Permitted with supporting documentation.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.11/0.76/0.13Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 61518

Brain tumor excision, infratentorial, non-meningioma

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.

  • 24Unrelated E/M visit by the same physician
  • 79Unrelated procedure (starts its own global period)
  • 58Staged, more extensive, or therapy procedure that was planned
  • 78Unplanned return to the operating room for a related complication
SurgeryVisit
Sep 23, 2026Jan 10, 2027

Pre-op dayGlobal period

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

61518 without 51 · national facility

$2,685.10

Brain tumor excision, infratentorial, non-meningioma

61518-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$1,342.55

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%).

When to use modifier 51

61518 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 61518

    Brain tumor excision, infratentorial, non-meningioma38.89 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 61519

    Meningioma removal, infratentorial lesion42.34 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 61510

    Brain tumor excision, supratentorial, nonmeningioma30.06 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 61512

    Meningioma excision, supratentorial36.21 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

61519Meningioma removalInfratentorial lesion
Use 61519 for an infratentorial meningioma; 61518 is for an infratentorial tumor other than meningioma.
61510Brain tumor excisionSupratentorial, nonmeningioma
61510 is for a supratentorial tumor other than meningioma. The key distinction from 61518 is the tumor’s location above rather than below the tentorium.
61512Meningioma excisionSupratentorial
61512 applies to a supratentorial meningioma. For an infratentorial tumor other than meningioma, use 61518.

Codes related to 61518

Related codes aren’t interchangeable: bill the code that matches the service performed.

Codes related to 61518
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
61519Meningioma removal, infratentorial lesionInfratentorial meningioma excision; the lesion type distinguishes it from 61518.No office rate
61510Brain tumor excision, supratentorial, nonmeningiomaSupratentorial tumor excision for tumors other than meningioma.No office rate
61512Meningioma excision, supratentorialSupratentorial meningioma excision.No office rate

61518 billing questions

How does this code differ from 61519?

Both concern infratentorial tumors, but 61518 is for a tumor other than a meningioma. Use 61519 when the infratentorial lesion is a meningioma.

Does a supratentorial tumor qualify?

No. This code is for an infratentorial tumor. Codes 61510 and 61512 address supratentorial tumors, with 61512 for meningioma.

Should modifier 50 be reported?

No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inapplicable to this code, so modifier 50 is inappropriate.

What documentation supports this code?

The operative report should identify the infratentorial location, establish that the lesion was not a meningioma, and describe its removal.

How are other procedures from the same session paid?

Under the standard multiple-procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are paid at 50% when performed in the same session.

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
RVUs for 61518PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 6,784 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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