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Billing code 62331: Lumbar decompressionMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports percutaneous removal of hypertrophic ligamentum flavum to decompress neural elements at each additional lumbar level treated after the primary level.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities

Medicare pays $189.05 for 62331 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 62331

Lumbar decompression

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
4.25
Total RVUs
5.66
Global days
ZZZ

National rate · 2026

$189.05

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 62331 → · 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 62331 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 62331 covers

This add-on code represents percutaneous decompression for lumbar spinal stenosis associated with hypertrophy of the ligamentum flavum. The physician removes tissue through a percutaneous approach to relieve pressure on neural elements at an additional lumbar level. Interventional pain physicians and spine specialists commonly perform this procedure in an outpatient setting; the operative record should identify the levels treated and describe the decompression performed at each one.

Report 62331 only with the primary-level procedure, 62330, and use it for each additional lumbar level treated. The documentation should distinguish the primary level from the additional level or levels. CMS treats this as an add-on paid within the primary procedure’s global period. The code is already priced as bilateral, so modifier 50 does not increase payment.

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 62331 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

62331 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$179.24
Alaska*Unavailable$256.56
ArizonaUnavailable$186.15
ArkansasUnavailable$178.04
AtlantaUnavailable$192.58
AustinUnavailable$189.88
BakersfieldUnavailable$190.09
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$196.84
BeaumontUnavailable$185.05
BrazoriaUnavailable$187.08

62331 rates by state

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

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

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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
62331 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 62331 rate is calculated

Each of 62331’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 · 62331

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 4.25Practice expense 1.03Malpractice 0.38

5.6600 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$189.05

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 62331

The CMS indicators that decide how 62331 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 62331

Lumbar decompression

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global periodZZZAdd-on code: falls within the primary procedure’s global period.
Multiple procedures0No multiple-procedure reduction.
Bilateral (modifier 50)2Already bilateral by definition: paid once at 100%.
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.

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 80 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

62331 without 80 · national facility

$189.05

Lumbar decompression

62331-80 · Assistant: 16%

$30.25

A physician assistant at surgery is paid 16% of the surgeon’s fee schedule amount.

When to use modifier 80

62331 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

62331 vs 62330 vs 63048 vs 62323: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 62331
    Lumbar decompression · 4.25 wRVU
    —
  • 62330
    Lumbar decompression · 8 wRVU
    —
  • 63048
    Spinal decompression · 3.38 wRVU
    —
  • 62323
    Lumbar epidural injection · 1.76 wRVU
    $273.22

How to choose

62330Lumbar decompression
62330 represents the primary lumbar level; 62331 is for each additional level and is reported with 62330.
63048Spinal decompression
63048 describes an additional segment in an open lumbar decompression procedure. Use 62331 for an additional level treated with the percutaneous ligamentum flavum approach.
62323Lumbar epidural injection
62323 is an interlaminar lumbar or sacral injection code. It does not describe percutaneous removal of ligamentum flavum to decompress neural elements.

Codes related to 62331

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

Codes related to 62331
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Add-on codes
62330Lumbar decompressionPrimary-level percutaneous lumbar decompression reported with this additional-level code.No office rate
Used instead
63047Lumbar decompressionOpen lumbar decompression at one vertebral segment uses a different operative approach.No office rate
63048Spinal decompressionAdditional-segment code for open lumbar decompression, rather than percutaneous ligamentum flavum treatment.No office rate

62331 billing questions

When is 62331 reported instead of 62330?

Use 62330 for the primary lumbar level and 62331 for each additional level treated during the percutaneous decompression.

Can 62331 be billed by itself?

No. It is an add-on code and must be reported with the primary procedure, 62330.

How many units should be reported?

Report one unit for each additional lumbar level treated beyond the primary level. The operative documentation should identify those additional levels.

Should modifier 50 be appended for bilateral treatment?

CMS prices 62331 as bilateral; modifier 50 does not increase payment.

Is 62331 paid outside the primary procedure’s global period?

No. CMS identifies it as an add-on paid within the primary procedure’s global period.

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 62331PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 6,975 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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