CPT code 64634: Facet ablation, each additional facet joint2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Reports neurolytic treatment of each additional cervical or thoracic facet joint after the primary joint is treated during the same session.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities72K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $266.54 for 64634 nationally in the office and $57.78 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $233.65–$366.41.

Medicare rate · 64634

Facet ablation, each additional facet joint

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
1.29
Total RVUs
7.98
Global days
ZZZ

National rate · 2026

$266.54

Office setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 64634 →Billed by an NP, PA or therapist? →

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

Your location

Medicare pays by the payment locality where the service is performed.

On this page 10 sections
  1. Medicare rate
  2. What 64634 covers
  3. By payment locality
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Similar codes
  8. Related codes
  9. Billing questions
  10. Sources

What 64634 covers

This add-on describes neurolytic treatment of an additional cervical or thoracic facet joint, commonly by radiofrequency ablation of the medial branch nerves that supply the joint. Pain-management physicians typically perform the procedure for selected patients with facet-mediated neck or upper-back pain. Imaging guidance with fluoroscopy or CT is part of the service. The unit is the additional facet joint treated, not each nerve or lesion made.

Report 64634 with the primary cervical or thoracic facet-joint ablation code 64633; it cannot stand alone. The record should identify the treated spinal region and the additional joint or joints addressed, supporting the reported count. CMS treats this as an add-on paid within the primary procedure’s global period. For a bilateral procedure, modifier 50 is paid at 150%.

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 64634 pays more and less

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

109 payment localities

$233.65 to $366.41

$233.65$300.03$366.41
One dot per payment locality, office / nonfacility. Hover a dot to see the locality; select it to open that rate.

109 of 109 payment localities

64634 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
Alabama$237.37$54.71
Alaska$300.55$78.22
Arizona$259.16$56.88
Arkansas$233.65$54.33
Atlanta, GA$270.99$58.89
Austin, TX$278.90$58.03
Bakersfield, CA$286.86$58.06
Baltimore area, MD$284.20$60.20
Beaumont, TX$246.50$56.54
Brazoria, TX$264.03$57.15

64634 rates by state

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

Explore a state

Local rates. Clear comparisons.

Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.

$233.65

$326.45

Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.

View every state and territory as a table
64634 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$300.551
AL$237.371
AR$233.651
AZ$259.161
CA$286.48–$366.4129
CO$280.221
CT$285.141
DC$308.381
DE$263.721
FL$258.90–$281.663
GA$243.61–$270.992
GU$294.921
HI$294.921
IA$245.471
ID$246.871
IL$249.70–$275.864
IN$248.461
KS$243.481
KY$241.841
LA$241.13–$254.142
MA$278.05–$310.442
MD$269.27–$308.383
ME$247.47–$263.092
MI$247.96–$261.612
MN$270.081
MO$236.15–$256.013
MS$234.991
MT$266.531
NC$250.391
ND$264.161
NE$247.151
NH$275.041
NJ$288.84–$304.642
NM$249.131
NV$266.091
NY$254.38–$314.215
OH$247.481
OK$242.161
OR$264.47–$290.562
PA$248.32–$277.092
PR$268.891
RI$274.171
SC$249.261
SD$263.881
TN$244.711
TX$246.50–$278.908
UT$252.961
VA$261.63–$308.382
VI$268.891
VT$262.361
WA$277.77–$317.772
WI$254.551
WV$239.521
WY$265.501

How the 64634 rate is calculated

Each of 64634’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 · 64634

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work1.29

1.29 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense6.57

6.57 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.12

0.12 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

7.9800

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$266.54

Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 64634

The CMS indicators that decide how 64634 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 64634

Facet ablation, each additional facet joint

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global periodZZZAdd-on code: falls within the primary procedure’s global period.
Multiple procedures0No multiple-procedure reduction.
Bilateral (modifier 50)1Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)1Not paid (statutory restriction).
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 50 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

64634 without 50 · national office

$266.54

Facet ablation, each additional facet joint

64634-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$399.81

Both sides on one line with modifier 50 are paid at 150% of the fee schedule amount (subject to multiple-procedure rules with other procedures).

When to use modifier 50

64634 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 64634

    Facet ablation, each additional facet joint1.29 wRVU

    $266.54

  • 64633

    Facet ablation, cervical/thoracic, first joint3.24 wRVU

    $458.93+$192.39

  • 64636

    Facet nerve ablation, additional lumbar or sacral joint1.13 wRVU

    $251.51−$15.03

  • 64491

    Facet injection, cervical/thoracic second level1.13 wRVU

    $101.87−$164.67

How to choose

64633Facet ablationCervical/thoracic, first joint
64633 reports the primary cervical or thoracic facet joint treated. Use 64634 only for each additional joint in the same session, alongside 64633.
64636Facet nerve ablationAdditional lumbar or sacral joint
64636 covers each additional lumbar or sacral facet joint; 64634 is for additional cervical or thoracic facet joints.
64491Facet injectionCervical/thoracic second level
64491 reports an additional cervical or thoracic facet nerve injection. 64634 is for neurolytic treatment of an additional joint, commonly by radiofrequency ablation.

64634 billing questions

When is 64634 reported instead of 64633?

64633 reports the primary cervical or thoracic facet joint treated. Report 64634 for each additional facet joint treated in the same session.

Can 64634 be billed by itself?

No. It is an add-on code and must be reported with the primary procedure, 64633.

Is imaging guidance separately reported?

Fluoroscopic or CT guidance is included in the facet ablation service described by this code; do not separately report guidance for the same treatment.

What supports the number of units?

Document the cervical or thoracic region and each additional facet joint treated. Units represent additional joints, not the number of nerves lesioned.

How is bilateral treatment reported?

For a bilateral procedure, report modifier 50; CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.

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
RVUs for 64634PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 7,181 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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