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CPT code 68760: Punctal closure, cautery or other method2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Rhode Island

Reports closure of a lacrimal punctum by cautery, ligation, or another method to reduce tear drainage, commonly for patients with dry eye.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026One payment locality5.3K Medicare services in 2024

In Rhode Island, Medicare pays $225.21 for 68760 in the office and $130.33 when it’s performed in a hospital or facility.

$225.21Office (non-facility)
$130.33Hospital or facility
+2.6%vs the national office rate ($219.44)

Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 68760 nationwide

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

We’ll open 68760 for the payment locality that covers the ZIP.

On this page 11 sections
  1. Rate in Rhode Island
  2. What 68760 covers
  3. Compared with other areas
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Related codes
  8. Rate history
  9. Where it applies
  10. Billing questions
  11. Sources

What 68760 covers

An ophthalmologist, often an oculoplastic specialist, closes a lacrimal punctum to slow tear drainage and retain tears on the eye. This is commonly considered for patients with dry eye when punctal occlusion is needed and a plug is not the selected method. The clinician may use cautery, ligation, or another closure technique, typically in an office setting.

Report this code for punctal closure by a method other than a plug; the plug method is represented separately. Document the treated punctum or side, the technique, and the clinical reason for reducing tear drainage. CMS assigns a 10-day global period, so related postoperative visits during that period are included. For bilateral treatment, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the 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.

How Rhode Island compares for 68760

Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the office rate for 68760 runs from $195.09 in Arkansas to $292.91 in San Benito County, CA. Rhode Island pays $225.21. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.

68760 in Rhode Island vs other payment areas
  1. Rhode Island · this page$225.21
  2. Los Angeles, CA · California$248.92+$23.71
  3. Washington, DC area · District of Columbia$250.99+$25.78
  4. Miami, FL · Florida$233.02+$7.81
  5. Chicago, IL · Illinois$226.69+$1.48
  6. Manhattan, NY · New York$251.28+$26.07
  7. Alaska · Alaska$256.59+$31.38

Other areas in Rhode Island first, then benchmark localities. Bars start at $0.

Every other payment area

68760 in every other Medicare payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaAlabama$197.83$117.46
ArkansasArkansas$195.09$116.19
ArizonaArizona$213.91$124.91
Bakersfield, CACalifornia$233.76$133.09
Chico, CACalifornia$233.30$132.63
El Centro, CACalifornia$233.32$132.65
Fresno, CACalifornia$233.30$132.63
Hanford, CACalifornia$233.30$132.63

68760 rates by state

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

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

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.

$195.09

$263.11

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

View every state and territory as a table
68760 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$256.591
AL$197.831
AR$195.091
AZ$213.911
CA$233.30–$292.9129
CO$229.141
CT$233.651
DC$250.991
DE$217.381
FL$214.90–$233.023
GA$203.42–$223.062
GU$238.941
HI$238.941
IA$203.311
ID$204.451
IL$208.45–$227.694
IN$205.601
KS$202.091
KY$201.661
LA$201.23–$210.842
MA$227.73–$251.702
MD$221.52–$250.993
ME$205.14–$216.312
MI$206.42–$217.172
MN$220.691
MO$197.70–$211.933
MS$196.451
MT$219.431
NC$207.261
ND$216.671
NE$204.471
NH$225.281
NJ$236.63–$248.492
NM$207.381
NV$218.821
NY$210.22–$256.785
OH$205.851
OK$201.641
OR$217.43–$236.562
PA$206.34–$227.822
PR$221.101
RI$225.211
SC$206.841
SD$216.341
TN$203.021
TX$205.01–$228.118
UT$209.571
VA$215.41–$250.992
VI$221.101
VT$215.571
WA$227.38–$257.052
WI$209.631
WV$200.941
WY$218.231

See 68760 in every payment locality

How the 68760 rate is calculated

Each of 68760’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 · 68760

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work1.74

1.74 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense4.69

4.69 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.14

0.14 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

6.5700

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$219.44

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

The exact Rhode Island inputs and CMS source lines

PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv

7,568

Code
68760
Physician work
1.74
Practice expense
4.69
Malpractice
0.14

GPCI2026.csv

92

Locality
Rhode Island
Physician work
1.019
Practice expense
1.033
Malpractice
0.892
Office calculation for 68760 in Rhode Island
ComponentRVULocality factorAdjusted
Physician work1.74× 1.0191.7731
Practice expense4.69× 1.0334.8448
Malpractice0.14× 0.8920.1249
Total RVUs6.7427
Conversion factor× 33.4009

Office rate, Rhode Island$225.21

Office: (1.74 × 1.019 + 4.69 × 1.033 + 0.14 × 0.892) × $33.4009 = $225.21

Facility: (1.74 × 1.019 + 1.94 × 1.033 + 0.14 × 0.892) × $33.4009 = $130.33

Open 68760 in the RVU calculator

Payment rules and modifiers for 68760

68760 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 68760

Punctal closure, cautery or other method

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period010Minor procedure: the day of the procedure plus 10 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)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.10/0.80/0.10Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 68760

Punctal closure, cautery or other method

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.

SurgeryVisit
Sep 28, 2026Oct 14, 2026

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 50 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

68760 without 50 · national office

$219.44

Punctal closure, cautery or other method

68760-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$329.16

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

Codes related to 68760

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

Codes related to 68760
CodeHow it relatesOffice range, Rhode Island
Same family
68761Punctal occlusion, plug, each punctumCloses the lacrimal punctum with a plug rather than cautery or another closure method.$147.05
68770Lacrimal fistula closureAlso closes a lacrimal opening, but treats a fistula rather than a punctum.No office rate
Used instead
68705Punctum revision, with reconstructionAddresses excessive tearing through a different drainage-reduction procedure.$266.67

How 68760 has changed in Rhode Island

68760 · Office / nonfacility

$225.21

Effective 2026-10-01

The base rate is $10.17 higher than on 2025-10-01, moving from $215.04 to $225.21 (4.7%).

It is unchanged from the immediately preceding available release, effective 2026-07-01.

Base rate by release · bars start at $0 · select a bar to compare

One bar per available release, ordered by effective date. Missing rates remain gaps. These comparisons hold the code, setting and locality identifiers constant; they do not isolate which policy or input caused a change.

What changed, release by release

  1. January 1, 2026

    RVU26A

    $215.04changed to$225.21

    • Conversion factor 32.3465 changed to 33.4009
    • Work RVU 1.78 changed to 1.74
    • Practice expense RVU 4.52 changed to 4.69
    • Malpractice RVU 0.15 changed to 0.14
    • Work GPCI 1.025 changed to 1.019
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.039 changed to 1.033
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.849 changed to 0.892

    Held through RVU26B, RVU26C, RVU26D.

  2. January 1, 2025

    RVU25A

    $225.17changed to$215.04

    • Conversion factor 33.2875 changed to 32.3465
    • Practice expense RVU 4.64 changed to 4.52
    • Malpractice RVU 0.14 changed to 0.15

    Held through RVU25B, RVU25C, RVU25D.

  3. March 9, 2024

    RVU24AR

    $221.49changed to$225.17

    • Conversion factor 32.7442 changed to 33.2875

    Held through RVU24B, RVU24C, RVU24D.

  4. January 1, 2024

    RVU24A

    $230.91changed to$221.49

    • Conversion factor 33.8872 changed to 32.7442
    • Practice expense RVU 4.66 changed to 4.64
    • Work GPCI 1.023 changed to 1.025
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.044 changed to 1.039
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.915 changed to 0.849

  5. January 1, 2023

    RVU23A

    $235.25changed to$230.91

    • Conversion factor 34.6062 changed to 33.8872
    • Practice expense RVU 4.64 changed to 4.66
    • Malpractice RVU 0.12 changed to 0.14
    • Work GPCI 1.021 changed to 1.023
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.048 changed to 1.044
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.981 changed to 0.915

    Held through RVU23B, RVU23C, RVU23D.

  6. January 1, 2022

    RVU22A

    $235.69changed to$235.25

    • Conversion factor 34.8931 changed to 34.6062
    • Practice expense RVU 4.58 changed to 4.64
    • Malpractice RVU 0.14 changed to 0.12

    Held through RVU22B, RVU22C, RVU22D.

  7. January 1, 2021

    RVU21A

    $227.92changed to$235.69

    • Conversion factor 36.0896 changed to 34.8931
    • Practice expense RVU 4.16 changed to 4.58
    • Malpractice RVU 0.13 changed to 0.14
    • Work GPCI 1.024 changed to 1.021
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.049 changed to 1.048
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.990 changed to 0.981

    Held through RVU21B, RVU21C, RVU21D.

  8. January 1, 2020

    RVU20A

    $222.30changed to$227.92

    • Conversion factor 36.0391 changed to 36.0896
    • Practice expense RVU 4.01 changed to 4.16
    • Work GPCI 1.027 changed to 1.024
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.050 changed to 1.049
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.999 changed to 0.990

    Held through RVU20B, RVU20C, RVU20D.

  9. January 1, 2019

    RVU19A

    $216.01changed to$222.30

    • Conversion factor 35.9996 changed to 36.0391
    • Practice expense RVU 3.85 changed to 4.01

    Held through RVU19B, RVU19C, RVU19D.

  10. January 1, 2018

    RVU18AR1

    $211.92changed to$216.01

    • Conversion factor 35.8887 changed to 35.9996
    • Practice expense RVU 3.77 changed to 3.85
    • Work GPCI 1.025 changed to 1.027
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.052 changed to 1.050
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.879 changed to 0.999

    Held through RVU18B, RVU18C, RVU18D.

  11. January 1, 2017

    RVU17A

    $210.80changed to$211.92

    • Conversion factor 35.8043 changed to 35.8887
    • Work GPCI 1.022 changed to 1.025
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.053 changed to 1.052
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.759 changed to 0.879

    Held through RVU17B, RVU17C, RVU17D.

  12. January 1, 2016

    RVU16A

    $210.91changed to$210.80

    • Conversion factor 35.9335 changed to 35.8043
    • Practice expense RVU 3.76 changed to 3.77
    • Malpractice RVU 0.12 changed to 0.13

    Held through RVU16B, RVU16C, RVU16D.

  13. July 1, 2015

    RVU15C

    $209.86changed to$210.91

    • Conversion factor 35.7547 changed to 35.9335

    Held through RVU15D.

  14. January 1, 2015

    RVU15A

    $218.00changed to$209.86

    • Conversion factor 35.8228 changed to 35.7547
    • Practice expense RVU 3.75 changed to 3.76
    • Malpractice RVU 0.33 changed to 0.12
    • Work GPCI 1.020 changed to 1.022
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.973 changed to 0.759

    Held through RVU15B.

  15. January 1, 2014

    RVU14A

    No ratechanged to$218.00

    Held through RVU14B, RVU14C, RVU14D.

  16. January 1, 2013

    RVU13AR

    Earliest loaded release: No rate

    Held through RVU13B, RVU13C, RVU13D.

Rates in every CMS release
Effective fromOfficeFacilityCMS release
2026-10-01$225.21$130.33RVU26D
2026-07-01$225.21$130.33RVU26C
2026-04-01$225.21$130.33RVU26B
2026-01-01$225.21$130.33RVU26A
2025-10-01$215.04$145.14RVU25D
2025-07-01$215.04$145.14RVU25C
2025-04-01$215.04$145.14RVU25B
2025-01-01$215.04$145.14RVU25A
2024-10-01$225.17$148.73RVU24D
2024-07-01$225.17$148.73RVU24C
2024-04-01$225.17$148.73RVU24B
2024-03-09$225.17$148.73RVU24AR
2024-01-01$221.49$146.31RVU24A
2023-10-01$230.91$149.89RVU23D
2023-07-01$230.91$149.89RVU23C
2023-04-01$230.91$149.89RVU23B
2023-01-01$230.91$149.89RVU23A
2022-10-01$235.25$150.02RVU22D
2022-07-01$235.25$150.02RVU22C
2022-04-01$235.25$150.02RVU22B
2022-01-01$235.25$150.02RVU22A
2021-10-01$235.69$151.58RVU21D
2021-07-01$235.69$151.58RVU21C
2021-04-01$235.69$151.58RVU21B
2021-01-01$235.69$151.58RVU21A
2020-10-01$227.92$153.71RVU20D
2020-07-01$227.92$153.71RVU20C
2020-04-01$227.92$153.71RVU20B
2020-01-01$227.92$153.71RVU20A
2019-10-01$222.30$155.33RVU19D
2019-07-01$222.30$155.33RVU19C
2019-04-01$222.30$155.33RVU19B
2019-01-01$222.30$155.33RVU19A
2018-10-01$216.01$155.91RVU18D
2018-07-01$216.01$155.91RVU18C
2018-04-01$216.01$155.91RVU18B
2018-01-01$216.01$155.91RVU18AR1
2017-10-01$211.92$153.77RVU17D
2017-07-01$211.92$153.77RVU17C
2017-04-01$211.92$153.77RVU17B
2017-01-01$211.92$153.77RVU17A
2016-10-01$210.80$152.74RVU16D
2016-07-01$210.80$152.74RVU16C
2016-04-01$210.80$152.74RVU16B
2016-01-01$210.80$152.74RVU16A
2015-10-01$210.91$153.40RVU15D
2015-07-01$210.91$153.40RVU15C
2015-04-01$209.86$152.64RVU15B
2015-01-01$209.86$152.64RVU15A
2014-10-01$218.00$160.66RVU14D
2014-07-01$218.00$160.66RVU14C
2014-04-01$218.00$160.66RVU14B
2014-01-01$218.00$160.66RVU14A
2013-10-01Rate data unavailableRate data unavailableRVU13D
2013-07-01Rate data unavailableRate data unavailableRVU13C
2013-04-01Rate data unavailableRate data unavailableRVU13B
2013-01-01Rate data unavailableRate data unavailableRVU13AR

Price 68760 for an earlier date of service

Where the Rhode Island rate applies

Rhode Island is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 36 cities and communities in Rhode Island. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.

  • Ashaway
  • Bradford
  • Carolina
  • Central Falls
  • Charlestown
  • Chepachet
  • Clayville
  • Cranston

Browse all communities in Rhode Island

68760 billing questions

How does this differ from 68761?

This code is for punctal closure by cautery, ligation, or another non-plug method. Code 68761 is for closure using a plug and is reported per punctum.

When is punctal closure used?

It is used to reduce tear drainage and retain tears, commonly in a patient with dry eye. The documentation should support the clinical reason for occlusion and identify the method performed.

How should bilateral treatment be reported?

When both sides are treated, report modifier 50. CMS pays a bilateral procedure at 150% under the rule for this code.

Are postoperative visits separately reported during the global period?

Related postoperative visits during the 10-day global period are included in the procedure payment.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be billed?

CMS does not pay for an assistant at surgery for this code. Co-surgeons and team surgery are 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 68760PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 7,568 (RVU26D)
Geographic factors for Rhode IslandGPCI2026.csv, line 92 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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