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Billing code 62194: Shunt catheter serviceMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports replacement or irrigation of a catheter used for intracranial cerebrospinal fluid drainage, such as during treatment of a malfunctioning shunt.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities201 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $526.73 for 62194 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 62194

Shunt catheter service

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
5.64
Total RVUs
15.77
Global days
010

National rate · 2026

$526.73

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 62194 → · 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 62194 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 62194 covers

A neurosurgeon reports this service when an existing catheter used for intracranial cerebrospinal fluid drainage is replaced or irrigated. It may be performed in a hospital or other surgical setting for a patient with a CSF diversion system, including one placed to manage hydrocephalus. The work concerns the catheter intervention rather than establishing a new shunt. The operative record should identify the catheter treated and describe the replacement or irrigation performed.

Select the code based on the catheter service actually performed, and document the clinical reason, such as suspected obstruction, along with the operative findings and work. CMS assigns a 10-day global period, so related postoperative visits during that period are 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 multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this service. An assistant at surgery is paid only when medical necessity is documented; 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 62194 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

62194 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$460.18
Alaska*Unavailable$602.57
ArizonaUnavailable$507.37
ArkansasUnavailable$452.02
AtlantaUnavailable$547.23
AustinUnavailable$533.23
BakersfieldUnavailable$524.57
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$567.32
BeaumontUnavailable$497.77
BrazoriaUnavailable$508.63

62194 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
62194 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 62194 rate is calculated

Each of 62194’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 · 62194

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 5.64Practice expense 7.78Malpractice 2.35

15.7700 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$526.73

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 62194

62194 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 62194

Shunt catheter service

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period010Minor procedure: the day of the procedure plus 10 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)0Not paid without supporting documentation.
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.10/0.80/0.10Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 62194

Shunt catheter service

10-day global period ends

Oct 11, 2026

Covers Oct 1, 2026 through Oct 11, 2026 (11 days).

Visit on Oct 31, 2026

After the global period ends: visits and procedures are billed normally.

SurgeryVisit
Sep 28, 2026Oct 14, 2026

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

62194 without 51 · national facility

$526.73

Shunt catheter service

62194-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$263.37

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

62194 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

62194 vs 62190 vs 62192 vs 62223 vs 62256: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 62194
    Shunt catheter service · 5.64 wRVU
    —
  • 62190
    CSF shunt · 11.87 wRVU
    —
  • 62192
    CSF shunt · 13.02 wRVU
    —
  • 62223
    CSF shunt creation · 13.7 wRVU
    —
  • 62256
    Shunt removal · 7.2 wRVU
    —

How to choose

62190CSF shunt
62190 describes establishing a brain-cavity shunt. Use 62194 when the service is replacement or irrigation of an existing catheter.
62192CSF shunt
62192 establishes a brain-cavity shunt; 62194 addresses catheter work on an existing drainage system.
62223CSF shunt creation
62223 is for establishing a CSF shunt. It does not describe replacement or irrigation of an existing catheter.
62256Shunt removal
62256 describes removal of a complete CSF shunt system without replacement, rather than catheter replacement or irrigation.

Codes related to 62194

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

Codes related to 62194
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
62190CSF shuntA shunt-establishment service, rather than intervention on an existing catheter.No office rate
62192CSF shuntEstablishes a brain-cavity shunt instead of replacing or irrigating a catheter.No office rate
62223CSF shunt creationUsed for establishing a CSF shunt, not servicing an existing catheter.No office rate
62256Shunt removalRemoval of a complete CSF shunt system without replacement is a different intervention.No office rate
Same family
62230Shunt revisionRelated shunt catheter replacement or irrigation service involving a different catheter segment.No office rate

62194 billing questions

How is this different from establishing a new CSF shunt?

This code describes work on a catheter in an existing drainage system. A procedure that establishes a new shunt is coded to the applicable shunt-creation code.

What documentation supports reporting the service?

Document the catheter treated, whether it was replaced or irrigated, the reason for intervention, and the operative work and findings.

Are related postoperative visits separately reported?

Related postoperative visits during the 10-day global period are included in this procedure's global package.

Can modifier 50 be used?

No. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this catheter service.

When is an assistant at surgery payable?

CMS pays an assistant at surgery only when the record documents medical necessity.

How does CMS handle another procedure performed in the same session?

The highest-valued procedure is paid in full; other procedures in the session 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 62194PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 6,931 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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