CPT code 66020: Eye injection, air or nonmedicated liquid2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in California
Reports an ophthalmologist’s placement of air or nonmedicated liquid into the eye’s anterior chamber to address an anterior-segment condition.
Medicare pays $208.96–$262.01 for 66020 in the office in California, from Chico, CA to San Benito County, CA. 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 66020 covers
An ophthalmologist uses this procedure to introduce air or a nonmedicated liquid into the anterior chamber, the space between the cornea and iris. The material may be placed to support or restore the chamber in an anterior-segment problem. The code identifies what is introduced, not an injection of medication. The service is typically performed by an ophthalmologist in an office, ambulatory surgical center, or hospital setting.
Select this code when the injected material is air or nonmedicated liquid; use 66030 when medication is injected into the anterior chamber. Document the eye treated, the material introduced, the indication, and the procedure performed. Medicare assigns a 10-day global period, so related postoperative visits during that period are included. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. For bilateral performance, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted; 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 66020 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 payment localities
$208.96 to $262.01
29 of 29 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield, CA | $209.39 | $118.60 |
| Chico, CA | $208.96 | $118.18 |
| El Centro, CA | $208.99 | $118.20 |
| Fresno, CA | $208.96 | $118.18 |
| Hanford, CA | $208.96 | $118.18 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $222.89 | $124.90 |
| Madera, CA | $208.96 | $118.18 |
| Marin County, CA | $256.43 | $139.63 |
| Merced, CA | $208.96 | $118.18 |
| Modesto, CA | $208.96 | $118.18 |
| Napa, CA | $242.15 | $132.97 |
| Oxnard, CA | $221.88 | $123.97 |
| Redding, CA | $208.96 | $118.18 |
| Rest of California | $208.96 | $118.18 |
| Riverside, CA | $210.39 | $119.61 |
| Sacramento, CA | $219.29 | $122.95 |
| Salinas, CA | $218.47 | $122.46 |
| San Benito County, CA | $262.01 | $142.56 |
| San Diego, CA | $223.58 | $124.51 |
| San Francisco, CA | $256.28 | $139.48 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $214.94 | $120.59 |
| Santa Clara County, CA | $261.41 | $141.96 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $225.71 | $125.07 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $219.28 | $122.69 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $228.00 | $126.28 |
| Stockton, CA | $208.96 | $118.18 |
| Vallejo, CA | $241.93 | $132.76 |
| Visalia, CA | $208.96 | $118.18 |
| Yuba City, CA | $208.96 | $118.18 |
How the 66020 rate is calculated
Each of 66020’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 · 66020
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work1.60
1.60 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense4.16
4.16 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.13
0.13 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
5.8900
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$196.73
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 66020
66020 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 66020
Eye injection, air or nonmedicated liquid
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 010 | Minor procedure: the day of the procedure plus 10 days after are included. |
| Multiple procedures | 2 | Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 1 | Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount. |
| 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. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.10/0.80/0.10 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 66020
Eye injection, air or nonmedicated liquid
10-day global period ends
Oct 11, 2026
Covers Oct 1, 2026 through Oct 11, 2026 (11 days).
Visit on Oct 31, 2026
After the global period ends: visits and procedures are billed normally.
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
66020 without 50 · national office
$196.73
Eye injection, air or nonmedicated liquid
66020-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$295.10
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).
66020 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 66030Eye injectionAnterior chamber medication
- Both involve the anterior chamber, but 66030 is for injected medication; 66020 is for air or nonmedicated liquid.
- 67028Intravitreal injectionMedication delivered into vitreous cavity
- Use 67028 when medication is delivered into the vitreous. Code 66020 concerns air or nonmedicated liquid introduced into the anterior chamber.
- 65800Eye paracentesisAqueous removal
- Code 65800 describes aspiration from the anterior chamber. Code 66020 describes introducing air or nonmedicated liquid into it.
66020 billing questions
How do I choose between 66020 and 66030?
Use 66020 for air or nonmedicated liquid placed in the anterior chamber. Use 66030 when the injected material is medication.
Does the 10-day global period include postoperative visits?
Yes. Related postoperative visits during the 10-day global period are included in this procedure’s payment.
How is 66020 handled when another procedure is performed in the same session?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and the other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction.
How should bilateral treatment be reported?
For bilateral performance, modifier 50 is paid at 150% under the CMS rule for this code.
Can an assistant or surgical team be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted for this code.
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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