FeeBase
Log inGet started
Menu

Billing code 62140: CranioplastyMedicare rate & RVUs

Cranioplasty reconstructs a skull defect smaller than 5 cm in diameter, commonly after craniectomy, trauma, or removal of a cranial lesion.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities763 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $978.98 for 62140 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 62140

Cranioplasty

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
14.19
Total RVUs
29.31
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$978.98

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 62140 → · 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 62140 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 62140 covers

A neurosurgeon or other qualified surgeon reconstructs a cranial bone defect measuring less than 5 cm in diameter, restoring skull contour and protective coverage. The defect may follow a prior craniectomy, traumatic bone loss, or removal of a cranial lesion. This code identifies the small-defect repair without the autograft approach represented by the graft-specific codes. Cranioplasty is commonly performed in a hospital operating room.

Select the code based on the defect’s documented diameter and the repair performed; the operative report should describe the defect, its cause, the reconstruction method, and any graft material. Medicare assigns major-surgery global treatment: the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included. 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% reduction. 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 62140 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

62140 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$865.28
Alaska*Unavailable$1,164.66
ArizonaUnavailable$944.83
ArkansasUnavailable$851.47
AtlantaUnavailable$1,018.76
AustinUnavailable$981.07
BakersfieldUnavailable$956.76
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$1,050.27
BeaumontUnavailable$936.64
BrazoriaUnavailable$943.69

62140 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
62140 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 62140 rate is calculated

Each of 62140’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 · 62140

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 14.19Practice expense 10.22Malpractice 4.90

29.3100 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$978.98

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 62140

62140 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 62140

Cranioplasty

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 · 62140

Cranioplasty

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

62140 without 51 · national facility

$978.98

Cranioplasty

62140-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$489.49

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

62140 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

62140 vs 62141 vs 62146 vs 62147: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 62140
    Cranioplasty · 14.19 wRVU
    —
  • 62141
    Cranioplasty · 15.67 wRVU
    —
  • 62146
    Cranioplasty · 16.85 wRVU
    —
  • 62147
    Cranioplasty · 20.15 wRVU
    —

How to choose

62141Cranioplasty
Use 62141 for a skull defect over 5 cm in diameter. This code is for a defect smaller than 5 cm.
62146Cranioplasty
Use 62146 for small-defect cranioplasty performed with an autograft; this code represents the non-autograft small-defect service.
62147Cranioplasty
Use 62147 when an autograft is used for a defect over 5 cm. This code is for a smaller defect without the graft-specific approach.

Codes related to 62140

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

Codes related to 62140
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
62141CranioplastyCranioplasty for a skull defect over 5 cm in diameter.No office rate
Used instead
62146CranioplastySmall-defect cranioplasty when performed with an autograft.No office rate
62147CranioplastyLarger-defect cranioplasty performed with an autograft.No office rate
62143Skull reconstructionReplacement of an existing bone flap or prosthetic skull plate.No office rate

62140 billing questions

How is this code distinguished from 62141?

The defect diameter determines the size level: 62140 is for a defect smaller than 5 cm, while 62141 is for a defect over 5 cm. Document the measured defect in the operative report.

When should the autograft codes be considered?

Use the graft-specific family when the cranioplasty is performed with an autograft. Codes 62146 and 62147 distinguish the smaller and larger defect size levels, respectively.

What documentation supports reporting this service?

The operative report should establish the defect’s location and diameter, the reason for reconstruction, and how the surgeon repaired it. Include whether an autograft was used so the appropriate code family can be selected.

How does the 90-day global period affect postoperative billing?

The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included in the global period. Routine related follow-up during that period is part of the surgical service.

How are other procedures in the same session paid?

Medicare pays the highest-valued procedure in full and applies the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction to the other procedures performed in that session.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made for this service. 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 62140PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 6,915 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

Did this answer your question about what 62140 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 62140 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 →