Billing code 62147: CranioplastyMedicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $1,362.42 for 62147 nationally in a facility.

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

What 62147 covers

This service reconstructs a skull defect larger than 5 cm using the patient’s own bone as graft material. Neurosurgeons typically perform it in an operating room to restore cranial protection and contour after decompressive craniectomy, traumatic bone loss, or prior skull surgery. The reconstruction is distinct from simply removing or replacing an existing bone flap or prosthetic plate.

Select this code when the operative report supports both the defect size and use of an autograft. Document the defect dimensions, graft source, and reconstruction performed; a smaller defect or a large reconstruction without an autograft points to a different code. Medicare treats this as major surgery: 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. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this service.

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 62147 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

62147 rates by state

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

How the 62147 rate is calculated

Each of 62147’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.

Payment rules and modifiers for 62147

62147 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 51

62147 compared with similar codes

How to choose

62146Cranioplasty

Both use an autograft for skull reconstruction. The defect-size distinction is 5 cm or smaller for 62146 versus larger than 5 cm for 62147.

62141Cranioplasty

This code is for a defect larger than 5 cm reconstructed without the autograft feature of 62147.

62143Skull reconstruction

62143 addresses replacement of a bone flap or prosthetic plate; 62147 describes reconstruction using the patient’s own bone graft.

62142Cranial implant removal

62142 is for removal of a bone flap or prosthetic plate, not reconstruction of a large skull defect with an autograft.

Codes related to 62147

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

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

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates