CPT code 62272: Therapeutic lumbar puncture, CSF drainage2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Missouri
Reports a spinal puncture performed to drain cerebrospinal fluid therapeutically, such as to relieve elevated pressure rather than obtain diagnostic samples.
Medicare pays $195.71–$209.62 for 62272 in the office in Missouri, from Rest of Missouri to Metropolitan St. Louis, MO. Which amount applies depends on the service address.
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 62272 covers
A clinician uses a spinal puncture to drain cerebrospinal fluid for treatment, rather than primarily to collect a diagnostic specimen. A typical situation is therapeutic lumbar drainage for pressure relief in a patient with idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Neurologists, neurosurgeons, and other clinicians who perform spinal procedures may provide the service in an office, hospital, or other facility setting.
Report the code for the therapeutic drainage procedure, supported by documentation of the indication and the drainage performed. Record the puncture site and technique, along with pressure measurements or the amount removed when obtained. The code has a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. 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. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service, and co-surgeons and team surgery are 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 62272 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.
3 payment localities
$195.71 to $209.62
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Kansas City, MO | $207.28 | $83.40 |
| Metropolitan St. Louis, MO | $209.62 | $84.02 |
| Rest of Missouri | $195.71 | $81.99 |
How the 62272 rate is calculated
Each of 62272’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 · 62272
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work1.54
1.54 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense4.48
4.48 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.47
0.47 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
6.4900
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$216.77
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 62272
The CMS indicators that decide how 62272 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 62272
Therapeutic lumbar puncture, CSF drainage
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 000 | Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is 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) | 1 | Not paid (statutory restriction). |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
62272 without 51 · national office
$216.77
Therapeutic lumbar puncture, CSF drainage
62272-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$108.39
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%).
62272 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 62270Lumbar punctureDiagnostic, no imaging guidance
- Choose 62270 for a diagnostic spinal puncture, such as CSF collection for testing; choose 62272 when the purpose is therapeutic drainage.
- 62273Epidural blood patchBlood or clot patch
- 62273 treats a CSF leak with an epidural blood patch; it is not the code for draining CSF through a spinal puncture.
- 62223CSF shunt creationPeritoneal, pleural, or other terminus
- 62223 establishes a brain-cavity shunt for CSF diversion, whereas 62272 describes therapeutic drainage by spinal puncture.
62272 billing questions
How does 62272 differ from diagnostic spinal puncture 62270?
Use 62272 when the puncture is performed to drain CSF therapeutically. Use 62270 when the puncture is diagnostic, such as for CSF sampling.
Is 62272 reported per milliliter of CSF removed?
No. Report the therapeutic puncture service, not a separate unit for each milliliter drained.
What documentation supports 62272?
Document the clinical reason for therapeutic drainage and that drainage was performed. Include the site and technique, and record fluid volume or pressure findings when obtained.
Should modifier 50 be used for drainage at multiple sites?
No. The CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply to this code, and modifier 50 is inappropriate.
How does Medicare treat other procedures performed in the same session?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full; other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction. An assistant at surgery is not paid, and co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
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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