CPT code 61581: Craniofacial approach, anterior cranial fossa2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Washington, DC area

In Washington, DC area, Medicare pays $2,609.71 for 61581 in a facility. There’s no office rate.

Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 61581 nationwide

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

What 61581 covers

This code describes a craniofacial route for reaching the anterior cranial fossa, where a lesion may involve the skull base near the nasal cavity or paranasal sinuses. The operation combines cranial and facial exposure; a neurosurgeon may work with an otolaryngologist or another surgeon experienced in skull base surgery. It is generally performed in a hospital operating room for complex skull base disease, rather than as an office procedure.

Select the code from the operative report’s documented approach and the specific work performed, not simply the diagnosis or lesion location. The record should identify the cranial and facial exposure and the target area. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during that period. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. Modifier 50 results in payment at 150% for a bilateral procedure. Co-surgeons and team surgery are permitted; assistant-at-surgery services are subject to a statutory payment restriction.

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.

How Washington, DC area compares for 61581

Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the facility rate for 61581 runs from $2,142.72 in Arkansas to $2,971.83 in Alaska. Washington, DC area pays $2,609.71. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.

Every other payment area

61581 rates by state

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

See 61581 in every payment locality

How the 61581 rate is calculated

Each of 61581’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.

Payment rules and modifiers for 61581

61581 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 50

Codes related to 61581

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

How 61581 has changed in Washington, DC area

Price 61581 for an earlier date of service

Where the Washington, DC area rate applies

Washington, DC area is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 1 cities and communities in District of Columbia. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.

• Washington

Browse all communities in District of Columbia

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

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates