CPT code 63277: Spinal lesion surgery, extradural, lumbar2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $1,502.37 for 63277 nationally in a facility.

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

What 63277 covers

A neurosurgeon typically uses a lumbar laminectomy to reach a neoplasm within the spinal canal but outside the dura, then obtains tissue for diagnosis or removes the lesion. This service is generally performed in an operating room, often in a hospital or other facility setting. The code is specific to the extradural location and lumbar region; it is not the code for a lesion within the dura or for a non-neoplastic lesion.

Report the service when the operative documentation identifies the lumbar level, establishes the lesion’s extradural location, and describes biopsy or excision. The 90-day global period includes 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 others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made; 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 63277 pays more and less

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

109 of 109 payment localities

63277 rates by state

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

How the 63277 rate is calculated

Each of 63277’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 63277

63277 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 51

63277 compared with similar codes

How to choose

63267Spinal lesion excisionLumbar, extradural, non-neoplastic

Use 63277 for a neoplasm in the extradural lumbar canal. Code 63267 applies to an extradural lumbar lesion other than a neoplasm.

63272Spinal lesion surgeryLumbar, non-neoplastic, intradural

This code is for an extradural lumbar neoplasm. Code 63272 concerns a non-neoplastic lesion in the intradural lumbar compartment.

63282Spinal lesion surgeryLumbar, intradural extramedullary

Both concern lumbar neoplasms, but 63277 is for an extradural lesion; 63282 is for an intradural, extramedullary lesion.

63276Spinal lesion surgeryThoracic, extradural neoplasm

The lesion type and extradural location are shared; choose 63276 for the thoracic region and 63277 for the lumbar region.

Codes related to 63277

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

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