CPT code 61520: Brain lesion removal, cerebellopontine angle tumor2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Missouri
Reports surgical removal of a cerebellopontine angle brain tumor other than a meningioma, typically through a craniotomy or craniectomy.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 61520 in Missouri.
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 61520 covers
This code is for operative removal of a tumor in the cerebellopontine angle, the space between the cerebellum and pons. A vestibular schwannoma, also called an acoustic neuroma, is a familiar example. A neurosurgeon performs the resection in an operating room, using a craniotomy or craniectomy to reach the lesion. The operative report should establish the tumor’s cerebellopontine angle location and distinguish it from a meningioma.
Select this code based on the operative site and lesion type, not simply because a brain tumor was removed. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during the following 90 days. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple procedure reduction. Assistant-at-surgery payment and co-surgeons are permitted; 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 61520 pays more and less in Missouri
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Kansas City, MO | Unavailable | $3,425.91 |
| Metropolitan St. Louis, MO | Unavailable | $3,455.71 |
| Rest of Missouri | Unavailable | $3,351.96 |
How the 61520 rate is calculated
Each of 61520’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 · 61520
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work55.66
55.66 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense27.93
27.93 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice21.17
21.17 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
104.7600
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$3,499.08
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 61520
61520 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 61520
Brain lesion removal, cerebellopontine angle tumor
| 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) | 2 | Permitted. |
| 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 · 61520
Brain lesion removal, cerebellopontine angle tumor
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
61520 without 51 · national facility
$3,499.08
Brain lesion removal, cerebellopontine angle tumor
61520-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$1,749.54
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%).
61520 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 61518Brain tumor excisionInfratentorial, non-meningioma
- Use 61520 for a cerebellopontine angle tumor other than a meningioma. Code 61518 describes a different infratentorial tumor resection situation.
- 61519Meningioma removalInfratentorial lesion
- Code 61519 is for infratentorial meningioma resection; 61520 is for a cerebellopontine angle tumor other than a meningioma.
- 61521Brain lesion removalCerebellopontine angle tumor
- Both concern cerebellopontine angle tumors, but 61521 is the meningioma-specific option. Use 61520 for a non-meningioma tumor.
- 61522Brain abscess removalInfratentorial
- Code 61522 is for removal of an infratentorial brain abscess, not a cerebellopontine angle tumor.
61520 billing questions
How does this differ from code 61518?
Use 61520 for a cerebellopontine angle tumor other than a meningioma. Code 61518 is for a different infratentorial tumor situation, not a CPA tumor.
When should code 61521 be considered instead?
Code 61521 is the related option for a cerebellopontine angle meningioma. The operative documentation should identify the lesion as a meningioma.
What documentation supports reporting 61520?
The operative report should identify the cerebellopontine angle as the tumor site and describe the surgical removal. Include findings that distinguish the lesion from a meningioma.
How does the global period affect postoperative billing?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during the 90 days after surgery.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made, and co-surgeons are permitted. Team surgery is not permitted for this code.
What happens when another procedure is performed in the same session?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures are subject to the standard 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
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