CPT code 62141: Cranioplasty, defect over 5 cm2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in California
Reports reconstruction of a skull defect larger than 5 cm when cranioplasty is performed without the autograft approach represented by separate codes.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 62141 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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On this page 9 sections
What 62141 covers
This service reconstructs a skull opening greater than 5 cm in diameter, commonly after a decompressive craniectomy, traumatic injury, or removal of a cranial lesion. A neurosurgeon or craniofacial surgeon performs the operation in a surgical setting, restoring cranial coverage and contour. The defect measurement and reconstruction method distinguish this service from smaller-defect and autograft cranioplasty codes.
Report the code when the documented defect exceeds 5 cm and the procedure is not the autograft service represented by 62147. The operative report should describe the defect size, its cause, and the reconstruction performed. Medicare assigns 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 others are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, 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 62141 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 | $1,085.28 |
| Chico, CA | Unavailable | $1,069.67 |
| El Centro, CA | Unavailable | $1,070.67 |
| Fresno, CA | Unavailable | $1,069.67 |
| Hanford, CA | Unavailable | $1,069.67 |
| Los Angeles, CA | Unavailable | $1,141.93 |
| Madera, CA | Unavailable | $1,069.67 |
| Marin County, CA | Unavailable | $1,218.48 |
| Merced, CA | Unavailable | $1,069.67 |
| Modesto, CA | Unavailable | $1,069.67 |
| Napa, CA | Unavailable | $1,175.37 |
| Oxnard, CA | Unavailable | $1,126.56 |
| Redding, CA | Unavailable | $1,069.67 |
| Rest of California | Unavailable | $1,069.67 |
| Riverside, CA | Unavailable | $1,133.41 |
| Sacramento, CA | Unavailable | $1,105.93 |
| Salinas, CA | Unavailable | $1,101.75 |
| San Benito County, CA | Unavailable | $1,254.26 |
| San Diego, CA | Unavailable | $1,116.95 |
| San Francisco, CA | Unavailable | $1,211.70 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | Unavailable | $1,086.56 |
| Santa Clara County, CA | Unavailable | $1,226.54 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | Unavailable | $1,118.51 |
| Santa Maria, CA | Unavailable | $1,102.93 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | Unavailable | $1,128.33 |
| Stockton, CA | Unavailable | $1,069.67 |
| Vallejo, CA | Unavailable | $1,165.60 |
| Visalia, CA | Unavailable | $1,069.67 |
| Yuba City, CA | Unavailable | $1,069.67 |
How the 62141 rate is calculated
Each of 62141’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 · 62141
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work15.67
15.67 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense11.76
11.76 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice5.97
5.97 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
33.4000
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$1,115.59
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 62141
62141 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 62141
Cranioplasty, defect over 5 cm
| 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 · 62141
Cranioplasty, defect over 5 cm
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
62141 without 51 · national facility
$1,115.59
Cranioplasty, defect over 5 cm
62141-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$557.80
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%).
62141 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 62140CranioplastyDefect under 5 cm
- Choose 62140 for a skull defect up to 5 cm; 62141 is for a defect greater than 5 cm when the autograft approach is not used.
- 62147CranioplastyAutograft, defect over 5 cm
- Both address defects over 5 cm, but 62147 represents cranioplasty using the autograft approach.
- 62142Cranial implant removalBone flap or prosthetic plate
- 62142 describes removal of a bone flap or prosthetic plate; it is not the reconstruction service reported by 62141.
62141 billing questions
How is 62141 distinguished from 62140?
The documented skull defect must be greater than 5 cm in diameter for 62141. A defect up to 5 cm falls under 62140 when the applicable non-autograft approach is performed.
When is 62147 used instead?
Use 62147 for a defect greater than 5 cm when the cranioplasty uses the autograft approach represented by that code. Document the defect size and graft method.
Can modifier 50 be reported?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be paid?
An assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted.
How does Medicare handle another procedure performed in the same session?
Under the standard multiple procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are paid at 50%.
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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