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Billing code 61711: Cerebral artery bypassMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports a direct extracranial-to-intracranial arterial bypass connecting the superficial temporal artery to the middle cerebral artery to augment cerebral blood flow.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities158 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $2,494.71 for 61711 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 61711

Cerebral artery bypass

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
37.27
Total RVUs
74.69
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$2,494.71

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 61711 → · 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 61711 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 61711 covers

A neurosurgeon performs a direct extracranial-to-intracranial bypass by connecting the superficial temporal artery to the middle cerebral artery. The operation creates an alternate route for blood flow when intracranial circulation is inadequate, such as in selected patients with moyamoya disease or occlusive cerebrovascular disease. It is generally performed in a hospital operating room using microsurgical technique.

Report this code when the operative report supports the specified donor-to-recipient artery bypass; the documented indication and completed anastomosis should distinguish it from other cranial vascular operations. The service has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. 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 multiple procedure reduction. An assistant at surgery may be paid. 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 61711 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

61711 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$2,178.71
Alaska*Unavailable$2,932.62
ArizonaUnavailable$2,397.54
ArkansasUnavailable$2,140.62
AtlantaUnavailable$2,614.10
AustinUnavailable$2,480.76
BakersfieldUnavailable$2,386.55
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$2,690.67
BeaumontUnavailable$2,392.05
BrazoriaUnavailable$2,384.33

61711 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
61711 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 61711 rate is calculated

Each of 61711’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 · 61711

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 37.27Practice expense 21.94Malpractice 15.48

74.6900 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$2,494.71

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 61711

61711 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 61711

Cerebral artery bypass

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 · 61711

Cerebral artery bypass

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

61711 without 51 · national facility

$2,494.71

Cerebral artery bypass

61711-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$1,247.36

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

61711 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

61711 vs 61700 vs 61702 vs 61781: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 61711
    Cerebral artery bypass · 37.27 wRVU
    —
  • 61700
    Aneurysm repair · 49.35 wRVU
    —
  • 61702
    Aneurysm surgery · 58.54 wRVU
    —
  • 61781
    Cranial navigation · 3.66 wRVU
    —

How to choose

61700Aneurysm repair
This code describes intracranial aneurysm repair. Code 61711 is for the specified superficial temporal-to-middle cerebral artery bypass, not aneurysm repair.
61702Aneurysm surgery
This is another intracranial vascular operation. Choose based on the procedure actually performed; code 61711 requires the specified direct arterial bypass.
61781Cranial navigation
This code describes cranial stereotactic computer-assisted navigation, not the bypass itself. It does not replace code 61711 when the specified anastomosis is performed.

Codes related to 61711

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

Codes related to 61711
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
61705Aneurysm surgeryRelated cranial circulation surgery; distinguish the procedure by its documented operative method and target.No office rate
61708Cerebral revascularizationAnother cranial circulation procedure; the operative details determine whether it or this bypass applies.No office rate
61710Aneurysm surgeryRelated head-circulation surgery, distinguished by the operation documented.No office rate

61711 billing questions

What distinguishes this code from other intracranial vascular surgery codes?

The defining service is a direct bypass from the superficial temporal artery to the middle cerebral artery. Select another code when the operative report describes a different vascular procedure or target.

What documentation supports reporting this bypass?

Document the indication, donor and recipient arteries, the anastomosis performed, and the completed bypass. The operative details should establish that the superficial temporal artery was connected to the middle cerebral artery.

Are related postoperative visits separately included?

Related postoperative care during the 90-day global period is included, as is the day-before preoperative visit.

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 for this service.

How does the multiple-procedure rule affect payment?

When this bypass and other procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others are subject to the standard 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 61711PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 6,872 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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