CPT code 68700: Canaliculus repair, tear drainage channel2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Oregon
Repair of a damaged tear drainage canaliculus, commonly after trauma near the inner eyelid, to restore continuity of the drainage channel.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 68700 in Oregon.
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 68700 covers
This procedure repairs a canaliculus, the small channel that carries tears from an eyelid opening toward the tear sac. Ophthalmologists, often oculoplastic surgeons, commonly perform it for a canalicular laceration near the inner corner of the eye, such as one caused by facial trauma. The repair may use fine sutures and a temporary stent to align and support the channel while it heals.
Report the service when the operative work repairs the canaliculus itself, not merely the eyelid opening or the tear sac. Documentation should identify the affected canaliculus, the injury or defect, laterality, and the repair performed. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, which includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For bilateral procedures, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. 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 68700 pays more and less in Oregon
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Portland, OR | Unavailable | $541.76 |
| Rest of Oregon | Unavailable | $509.27 |
How the 68700 rate is calculated
Each of 68700’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 · 68700
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work7.67
7.67 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense7.17
7.17 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.62
0.62 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
15.4600
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$516.38
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 68700
68700 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 68700
Canaliculus repair, tear drainage channel
| 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) | 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) | 0.10/0.70/0.20 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 68700
Canaliculus repair, tear drainage channel
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 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
68700 without 50 · national facility
$516.38
Canaliculus repair, tear drainage channel
68700-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$774.57
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).
68700 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 68705Punctum revisionWith reconstruction
- Choose 68700 for repair of the canalicular channel, commonly after trauma. Choose 68705 when the operative target is an everted punctum.
- 68720Tear drainage surgeryNo tube or stent
- 68700 repairs a damaged canaliculus. 68720 creates a drainage connection from the tear sac to the nose.
- 68745Tear duct bypassWith tube or stent
- 68700 repairs the existing canalicular channel; 68745 establishes a different route for tears through a conjunctival connection.
68700 billing questions
When should 68700 be chosen over 68705?
Use 68700 for repair of the tear-drainage canaliculus itself, such as after a laceration. Code 68705 addresses correction of an everted punctum rather than repair of a canalicular injury.
Is repair of an associated eyelid wound included?
The canalicular repair describes work on the tear channel. Document any separate eyelid repair distinctly so the services can be evaluated based on the work performed.
What documentation supports 68700?
Record the canaliculus involved, laterality, cause and extent of the defect, and the repair technique. Include whether a stent was used when applicable.
How is bilateral canalicular repair reported?
CMS identifies this as a bilateral procedure; modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Document the repair on each side.
Can an assistant, co-surgeon, or surgical team be billed?
CMS restricts assistant-at-surgery payment for this code and does not permit co-surgeons or team surgery.
What happens when another procedure is performed in the same session?
Under the standard multiple-procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the other procedures are paid at 50%.
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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