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Billing code 61535: Electrode removalMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports craniotomy-based removal of previously placed intracranial brain electrodes, commonly after seizure monitoring with electrodes used to localize an epileptic focus.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities13 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $1,025.07 for 61535 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 61535

Electrode removal

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
12.82
Total RVUs
30.69
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$1,025.07

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 61535 → · 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 61535 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 61535 covers

A neurosurgeon uses a craniotomy to remove previously placed electrodes from the brain. A typical setting is the operating room after intracranial EEG monitoring for epilepsy, when temporary electrodes have helped identify seizure activity and the patient returns for removal. The procedure concerns electrode removal, rather than excision of the brain tissue identified during monitoring.

Report the service for the operative removal documented in the surgeon’s report, including the craniotomy approach and the electrodes removed. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, which includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur 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 for this code. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made; 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 61535 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

61535 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$894.73
Alaska*Unavailable$1,185.26
ArizonaUnavailable$986.19
ArkansasUnavailable$878.87
AtlantaUnavailable$1,069.28
AustinUnavailable$1,029.53
BakersfieldUnavailable$1,002.67
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$1,105.08
BeaumontUnavailable$974.78
BrazoriaUnavailable$985.07

61535 rates by state

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

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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
61535 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 61535 rate is calculated

Each of 61535’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 · 61535

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 12.82Practice expense 12.47Malpractice 5.40

30.6900 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$1,025.07

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 61535

61535 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 61535

Electrode removal

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)1Permitted with supporting documentation.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.11/0.76/0.13Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 61535

Electrode removal

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

61535 without 51 · national facility

$1,025.07

Electrode removal

61535-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$512.54

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

61535 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

61535 vs 61531 vs 61533 vs 61880: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 61535
    Electrode removal · 12.82 wRVU
    —
  • 61531
    Brain electrode implant · 16 wRVU
    —
  • 61533
    Brain electrode placement · 20.92 wRVU
    —
  • 61880
    Neuroelectrode surgery · 6.78 wRVU
    —

How to choose

61531Brain electrode implant
61531 describes implantation of cortical neurostimulator electrodes through a craniectomy approach; 61535 describes removal of previously placed brain electrodes.
61533Brain electrode placement
61533 describes electrode implantation through a craniotomy. Choose 61535 for the later craniotomy-based removal service, not placement.
61880Neuroelectrode surgery
61880 addresses revision or removal of an intracranial neurostimulator electrode array. Distinguish it from 61535 by the electrode service and operative approach documented.

Codes related to 61535

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

Codes related to 61535
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
61531Brain electrode implantRelated cortical electrode procedure for implantation rather than removal.No office rate
61533Brain electrode placementRelated craniotomy electrode procedure for implantation rather than removal.No office rate
Used instead
61880Neuroelectrode surgeryRevision or removal of an intracranial neurostimulator electrode array may describe a different removal approach.No office rate

61535 billing questions

Is this code for electrode removal or removal of the seizure focus?

It reports craniotomy-based removal of intracranial electrodes. Removal of brain tissue identified as a seizure focus is a different service.

Can electrode implantation and removal be reported together?

The implantation codes describe placement, while this code describes removal. They may occur at different stages of epilepsy monitoring; report each service when it is actually performed and documented.

Should modifier 50 be appended when electrodes are removed from both sides?

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

What postoperative care is included?

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

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; 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 61535PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 6,795 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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