CPT code 61576: Transoral surgery, separate-incision odontoid resection2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Michigan
Reports transoral surgery for a skull base, brainstem, or upper cervical cord lesion when odontoid resection requires a separate incision.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 61576 in Michigan.
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 61576 covers
This code describes operative access through the mouth to treat a lesion at the skull base, brainstem, or upper cervical cord, with a separate incision required for odontoid resection. Neurosurgeons typically perform the intracranial or spinal portion, often with an otolaryngologist or another surgeon assisting with exposure. The case is generally performed in a hospital operating room for a lesion requiring biopsy, decompression, or excision in this deep midline region.
Select this code when the operative report supports the transoral route and the separate incision for odontoid resection; the less extensive transoral code 61575 is the key comparison. Document the lesion and site, work performed through the mouth, odontoid removal, and why the separate incision was used. Medicare assigns major surgery a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation. Team surgery is not permitted, and 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 61576 pays more and less in Michigan
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit, MI | Unavailable | $4,658.59 |
| Rest of Michigan | Unavailable | $4,150.41 |
How the 61576 rate is calculated
Each of 61576’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 · 61576
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work53.93
53.93 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense48.90
48.90 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice22.75
22.75 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
125.5800
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$4,194.49
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 61576
61576 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 61576
Transoral surgery, separate-incision odontoid resection
| 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 · 61576
Transoral surgery, separate-incision odontoid resection
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
61576 without 51 · national facility
$4,194.49
Transoral surgery, separate-incision odontoid resection
61576-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$2,097.25
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%).
61576 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 61575Transoral skull-base surgeryStandard transoral exposure
- Both describe transoral access for lesions involving the skull base, brainstem, or upper cervical cord. 61576 is distinguished by the separate incision required for odontoid resection.
- 61597Skull-base approachTranscondylar route
- 61597 uses a transcondylar route. Choose between it and 61576 based on the operative approach actually used, not simply the lesion diagnosis.
- 61595Skull base approachTranstemporal route
- 61595 uses a transtemporal route rather than transoral access; the operative report's approach determines the applicable code.
61576 billing questions
How does 61576 differ from 61575?
61576 is the transoral skull base, brainstem, or upper cervical cord procedure when a separate incision is required for odontoid resection. Use 61575 when the documented work does not meet that distinction.
What documentation supports reporting 61576?
The operative report should identify the lesion and its location, describe the transoral work, and document odontoid resection through a separate incision.
Can an assistant surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made for this procedure. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation.
Can modifier 50 be used for bilateral work?
No. The anatomy and procedure make modifier 50 inappropriate for this code.
How does Medicare handle other procedures performed in the same session?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
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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