CPT code 63270: Spinal lesion excision, cervical, intradural extramedullary2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Maine
Cervical laminectomy to remove or evacuate a non-neoplastic lesion within the dura but outside the spinal cord, reported when that site and compartment are documented.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 63270 in Maine.
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 63270 covers
A spine surgeon, commonly a neurosurgeon, approaches the cervical spinal canal through a laminectomy, opens the dura, and removes or evacuates a non-neoplastic lesion located within the dural sac but outside the spinal cord. A cystic lesion such as an arachnoid cyst may fit when the operative findings establish this location and the lesion is not a neoplasm. The code is specific to the cervical region and the intradural, extramedullary compartment.
The operative report should identify the cervical level, the lesion’s relationship to the dura and spinal cord, and the removal or evacuation performed. This is major surgery with a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in one 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 made; co-surgeons require supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted. 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 63270 pays more and less in Maine
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Rest of Maine | Unavailable | $1,816.67 |
| Southern Maine, ME | Unavailable | $1,865.96 |
How the 63270 rate is calculated
Each of 63270’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 · 63270
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work29.06
29.06 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense19.23
19.23 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice12.28
12.28 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
60.5700
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$2,023.09
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 63270
63270 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 63270
Spinal lesion excision, cervical, intradural extramedullary
| 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 · 63270
Spinal lesion excision, cervical, intradural extramedullary
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
63270 without 51 · national facility
$2,023.09
Spinal lesion excision, cervical, intradural extramedullary
63270-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$1,011.55
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%).
63270 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 63265Spinal lesion removalCervical extradural, nonneoplastic
- Both concern cervical non-neoplastic lesions, but 63265 is for an extradural lesion. Use 63270 when the lesion is inside the dura and outside the cord.
- 63271Spinal lesion excisionThoracic, intradural extramedullary
- The lesion compartment and non-neoplastic status are shared; 63271 is for the thoracic region, while 63270 is cervical.
- 63280Spinal tumor surgeryCervical, intradural extramedullary
- Both address a cervical intradural, extramedullary lesion. Code 63280 is for a neoplasm; 63270 is for a lesion other than a neoplasm.
- 63285Spinal cord lesionCervical, intramedullary
- Code 63285 addresses a cervical intradural lesion within the spinal cord and a neoplasm. Code 63270 concerns a non-neoplastic lesion outside the cord.
63270 billing questions
How does this differ from code 63265?
Code 63270 is for a non-neoplastic lesion inside the dura and outside the cord. Code 63265 describes the extradural compartment.
When should the thoracic sibling be used instead?
Use 63271 when the non-neoplastic intradural, extramedullary lesion is in the thoracic region. Code 63270 is specific to the cervical region.
What should the operative report document?
Document the cervical site, whether the lesion is intradural and outside the cord, its non-neoplastic character, and the excision or evacuation performed.
Should modifier 50 be appended for bilateral findings?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code; modifier 50 should not be used.
How are other procedures in the same session paid?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures in the session are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made. Co-surgeons are paid only when supporting documentation is provided; team surgery is 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
Show the CMS file lines behind this rate
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