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CPT code 67015: Choroidal drainage, posterior sclerotomy2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Reports surgical drainage of fluid or blood from the choroidal space through a posterior scleral incision, often for a choroidal detachment.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities1.6K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $524.39 for 67015 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 67015

Choroidal drainage, posterior sclerotomy

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
6.96
Total RVUs
15.70
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$524.39

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 67015 →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 67015 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 67015 covers

An ophthalmologist uses a posterior sclerotomy to drain fluid or blood from the choroidal space, such as in a choroidal detachment or hemorrhage. The target is the choroid, not the vitreous cavity or subretinal space. This is an operative eye procedure and may be performed during treatment of a complex retinal condition when choroidal drainage is needed.

Report the service when the operative note supports drainage through a posterior scleral incision and identifies the indication and eye treated. Document any other procedures performed as distinct services; drainage of choroidal fluid is different from vitreous removal or drainage of subretinal fluid. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted; 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 67015 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

67015 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$482.23
AlaskaUnavailable$650.16
ArizonaUnavailable$513.27
ArkansasUnavailable$476.91
Atlanta, GAUnavailable$533.16
Austin, TXUnavailable$538.63
Bakersfield, CAUnavailable$547.89
Baltimore area, MDUnavailable$552.44
Beaumont, TXUnavailable$498.47
Brazoria, TXUnavailable$519.75

67015 rates by state

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

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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.

View every state and territory as a table
67015 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AKNo published base rate1
ALNo published base rate1
ARNo published base rate1
AZNo published base rate1
CANo published base rate29
CONo published base rate1
CTNo published base rate1
DCNo published base rate1
DENo published base rate1
FLNo published base rate3
GANo published base rate2
GUNo published base rate1
HINo published base rate1
IANo published base rate1
IDNo published base rate1
ILNo published base rate4
INNo published base rate1
KSNo published base rate1
KYNo published base rate1
LANo published base rate2
MANo published base rate2
MDNo published base rate3
MENo published base rate2
MINo published base rate2
MNNo published base rate1
MONo published base rate3
MSNo published base rate1
MTNo published base rate1
NCNo published base rate1
NDNo published base rate1
NENo published base rate1
NHNo published base rate1
NJNo published base rate2
NMNo published base rate1
NVNo published base rate1
NYNo published base rate5
OHNo published base rate1
OKNo published base rate1
ORNo published base rate2
PANo published base rate2
PRNo published base rate1
RINo published base rate1
SCNo published base rate1
SDNo published base rate1
TNNo published base rate1
TXNo published base rate8
UTNo published base rate1
VANo published base rate2
VINo published base rate1
VTNo published base rate1
WANo published base rate2
WINo published base rate1
WVNo published base rate1
WYNo published base rate1

How the 67015 rate is calculated

Each of 67015’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 · 67015

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work6.96

6.96 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense8.19

8.19 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.55

0.55 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

15.7000

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$524.39

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 67015

67015 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 67015

Choroidal drainage, posterior sclerotomy

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period090Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included.
Multiple procedures2Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%.
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)1Permitted with supporting documentation.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.10/0.70/0.20Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 67015

Choroidal drainage, posterior sclerotomy

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.

  • 24Unrelated E/M visit by the same physician
  • 79Unrelated procedure (starts its own global period)
  • 58Staged, more extensive, or therapy procedure that was planned
  • 78Unplanned return to the operating room for a related complication
SurgeryVisit
Sep 23, 2026Jan 10, 2027

Pre-op dayGlobal period

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 50 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

67015 without 50 · national facility

$524.39

Choroidal drainage, posterior sclerotomy

67015-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$786.59

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

67015 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 67015

    Choroidal drainage, posterior sclerotomy6.96 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 67005

    Vitrectomy, partial, anterior approach5.74 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 67010

    Anterior vitrectomy, partial removal6.88 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 67036

    Vitrectomy, pars plana approach11.83 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

67005VitrectomyPartial, anterior approach
67005 describes partial removal of vitreous through an anterior approach. Use 67015 for drainage from the choroidal space through a posterior sclerotomy.
67010Anterior vitrectomyPartial removal
67010 describes subtotal vitreous removal through an anterior approach; 67015 drains choroidal fluid or blood instead.
67036VitrectomyPars plana approach
67036 describes mechanical vitrectomy through a pars plana approach. It removes vitreous rather than draining the choroidal space.

Codes related to 67015

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

Codes related to 67015
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Often billed with
67101Retinal repair, cryotherapyRetinal detachment repair may accompany separately documented drainage of choroidal fluid.$301.13–$437.89
67107Retinal detachment repair, scleral buckle without vitrectomyScleral buckle repair may be performed in the same session when choroidal drainage is separately needed.No office rate
67108Retinal detachment repair, vitrectomy-based repairRetinal detachment repair with vitrectomy may accompany distinct choroidal drainage.No office rate
67036Vitrectomy, pars plana approachPars plana vitrectomy addresses the vitreous cavity and may accompany separately performed choroidal drainage.No office rate

67015 billing questions

How does this differ from vitreous removal?

This procedure drains fluid or blood from the choroidal space through a posterior sclerotomy. Codes 67005, 67010, and 67036 describe removal of vitreous, not choroidal drainage.

Does this code include retinal detachment repair?

It represents choroidal drainage, not the retinal repair itself. If a separate retinal repair is performed, document its distinct work and consider applicable coding edits.

What documentation supports reporting it?

Record the indication, treated eye, choroidal fluid or blood being drained, and the posterior sclerotomy. Identify any separate retinal or vitreous procedures performed.

How is bilateral treatment reported?

CMS pays bilateral reporting with modifier 50 at 150%. Document the procedure on each eye.

How does the multiple-procedure reduction affect payment?

When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, CMS pays the highest-valued procedure in full and the others at 50%.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted for this code. Co-surgeons are paid only when supporting documentation is submitted; 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
RVUs for 67015PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 7,418 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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