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Billing code 22861: Disc revisionMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports anterior revision or replacement of an existing cervical artificial disc at one interspace, rather than initial implantation or removal alone.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities20 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $2,248.88 for 22861 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 22861

Disc revision

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
32.53
Total RVUs
67.33
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$2,248.88

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 22861 → · 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.

On this page 10 sections
  1. Medicare rate
  2. What 22861 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 22861 covers

During this anterior cervical operation, the surgeon revises or replaces an existing artificial disc at one intervertebral level. The work addresses the existing implant; it is distinct from placing a new disc for the first time. An orthopedic spine surgeon or neurosurgeon typically performs the procedure in an operating room, such as a hospital or ambulatory surgical facility.

Select the code based on the cervical location, single interspace, and revision or replacement performed. The operative report should identify the existing artificial disc, level, anterior approach, and work performed. Medicare treats this as major surgery: the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included. For multiple procedures in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others are subject to a 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made, and co-surgeons are permitted; 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 22861 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

22861 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$1,961.88
Alaska*Unavailable$2,631.98
ArizonaUnavailable$2,161.03
ArkansasUnavailable$1,927.23
AtlantaUnavailable$2,355.58
AustinUnavailable$2,239.59
BakersfieldUnavailable$2,157.78
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$2,426.33
BeaumontUnavailable$2,152.98
BrazoriaUnavailable$2,150.35

22861 rates by state

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

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

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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
22861 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 22861 rate is calculated

Each of 22861’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 · 22861

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 32.53Practice expense 21.07Malpractice 13.73

67.3300 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$2,248.88

All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 22861

22861 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 22861

Disc revision

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)0The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)2Paid.
Co-surgeons (62)2Permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.10/0.69/0.21Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 22861

Disc revision

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.

  • 24 Unrelated E/M visit by the same physician
  • 79 Unrelated procedure (starts its own global period)
  • 58 Staged, more extensive, or therapy procedure that was planned
  • 78 Unplanned 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 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

22861 without 51 · national facility

$2,248.88

Disc revision

22861-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$1,124.44

When this isn’t the highest-valued procedure in the session, Medicare pays 50% of its fee schedule amount (the highest is paid at 100%).

When to use modifier 51

22861 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

22861 vs 22856 vs 22862 vs 22864: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 22861
    Disc revision · 32.53 wRVU
    —
  • 22856
    Artificial disc · 23.45 wRVU
    —
  • 22862
    · 31.81 wRVU
    —
  • 22864
    Disc removal · 28.67 wRVU
    —

How to choose

22856Artificial disc
Use 22856 for initial cervical disc arthroplasty. Use 22861 when the surgeon revises or replaces an existing cervical artificial disc.
22862Rev rplcm rthrp 1ntrspc lmbr
Both describe revision or replacement of an existing artificial disc, but 22862 is for a lumbar interspace; 22861 is cervical.
22864Disc removal
22864 reports removal of a cervical artificial disc without replacement. Choose 22861 when revision or replacement of the disc is performed.

Codes related to 22861

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

Codes related to 22861
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
22856Artificial discInitial cervical artificial disc placement, rather than revision or replacement of an existing disc.No office rate
22864Disc removalRemoval of a cervical artificial disc without replacement.No office rate
Same family
22862Rev rplcm rthrp 1ntrspc lmbrRevision or replacement counterpart for a lumbar interspace.No office rate

22861 billing questions

How is this different from 22856?

22861 is for revision or replacement of an existing cervical artificial disc at one interspace. 22856 describes initial cervical disc arthroplasty, not revision of a prior implant.

Can this code be used when the artificial disc is only removed?

No. For removal of a cervical artificial disc without replacement, consider 22864. Report 22861 when the surgeon revises or replaces the existing disc.

Does this code cover more than one cervical interspace?

This code is for one cervical interspace. Document the level treated and the revision or replacement performed there.

Should modifier 50 be appended?

No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code.

What postoperative care is included?

The major-surgery global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.

How are other procedures in the same session paid?

Under the standard multiple-procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to a 50% reduction.

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 22861PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,132 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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