FeeBase
Log inGet started
Menu

Billing code 61210: Ventricular accessMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports burr-hole access for implanting a ventricular catheter, reservoir, or electrode, typically for neurosurgical access, drainage, or monitoring.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities1.2K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $335.68 for 61210 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 61210

Ventricular access

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
5.68
Total RVUs
10.05
Global days
000

National rate · 2026

$335.68

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 61210 → · 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 61210 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 61210 covers

A neurosurgeon creates a burr hole to place an implanted device into a cerebral ventricle, such as a ventricular catheter, reservoir, or electrode. The service is generally performed in an operating room or other facility setting for patients who need implanted ventricular access for treatment or monitoring. The operative report should identify the device implanted, its ventricular location, and the purpose of the access.

Select 61210 for implanted ventricular access, not for a burr hole used to explore or evacuate a hematoma. The code has a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is 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% multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service; 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 61210 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

61210 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$292.87
Alaska*Unavailable$399.17
ArizonaUnavailable$322.17
ArkansasUnavailable$287.75
AtlantaUnavailable$353.29
AustinUnavailable$330.85
BakersfieldUnavailable$314.58
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$362.41
BeaumontUnavailable$324.05
BrazoriaUnavailable$319.11

61210 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.

View every state and territory as a table
61210 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 61210 rate is calculated

Each of 61210’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 · 61210

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 5.68Practice expense 1.99Malpractice 2.38

10.0500 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$335.68

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 61210

The CMS indicators that decide how 61210 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 61210

Ventricular access

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period000Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is 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)1Not paid (statutory restriction).
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

61210 without 51 · national facility

$335.68

Ventricular access

61210-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$167.84

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

61210 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

61210 vs 61107 vs 61215 vs 61250 vs 61253: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 61210
    Ventricular access · 5.68 wRVU
    —
  • 61107
    Ventricular catheter · 4.87 wRVU
    —
  • 61215
    Drug delivery implant · 5.7 wRVU
    —
  • 61250
    Brain exploration · 11.2 wRVU
    —
  • 61253
    Burr-hole procedure · 13.15 wRVU
    —

How to choose

61107Ventricular catheter
Use 61210 for implanted ventricular access through a burr hole. 61107 describes twist-drill puncture for drainage or pressure monitoring.
61215Drug delivery implant
61210 covers the burr-hole ventricular implantation work; 61215 identifies placement of a subcutaneous reservoir, pump, or infusion system connected to a ventricular catheter.
61250Brain exploration
61250 is for burr-hole or trephine exploration or evacuation of an extradural or subdural hematoma, not implantation of ventricular access.
61253Burr-hole procedure
61253 concerns burr-hole or trephine exploration or evacuation of an intracerebral hematoma; 61210 is selected for implanted ventricular access.

Codes related to 61210

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

Codes related to 61210
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Often billed with
61215Drug delivery implantMay be reported for separately performed placement of a subcutaneous system connected to a ventricular catheter.No office rate
Used instead
61107Ventricular catheterTwist-drill access for ventricular or subdural drainage or pressure monitoring rather than implanted access through a burr hole.No office rate
62223CSF shunt creationCreates a ventricular shunt when definitive CSF diversion is performed instead of implanting ventricular access alone.No office rate

61210 billing questions

How is 61210 different from 61107?

61210 is for burr-hole implantation of a ventricular catheter, reservoir, or electrode. 61107 describes twist-drill access for ventricular or subdural drainage or pressure monitoring.

When is 61215 relevant?

61215 describes insertion of a subcutaneous reservoir, pump, or continuous-infusion system connected to a ventricular catheter. Report the work actually performed and document the implanted components.

Can 61210 be reported for hematoma evacuation?

No. 61210 identifies implanted ventricular access; 61250 and 61253 concern burr-hole or trephine procedures for hematoma exploration or evacuation.

Does 61210 have a postoperative global period?

It has a 0-day global period. Same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included.

Can modifier 50 be used for bilateral placement?

No. The CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply, and modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code.

How are other same-session procedures paid?

The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures in the same session are subject to the standard 50% multiple-procedure 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 61210PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 6,753 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

Did this answer your question about what 61210 pays?

Tell us what you were actually trying to work out. We’ll answer you directly, or build the page that does.

Fee sheets

Put 61210 and the rest of your codes on one sheet

Build a fee sheet from your own code list at your locality, put your payer contracts beside Medicare, and see what changed each quarter.

Build my fee sheetOr price your code list free →