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Billing code 63016: LaminectomyMedicare rate & RVUs

A surgeon removes posterior bone across more than two thoracic spinal segments to inspect or decompress the spinal canal without facet, foraminal, or disc removal.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities458 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $1,463.29 for 63016 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 63016

Laminectomy

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
21.48
Total RVUs
43.81
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$1,463.29

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 63016 → · 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 63016 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 63016 covers

A spine surgeon performs this multilevel thoracic decompression by removing posterior vertebral bone to access and enlarge the spinal canal, typically for thoracic canal narrowing that compresses the spinal cord. The operative work extends across more than two thoracic segments and does not include the facet removal, foraminal enlargement, or disc removal that would distinguish other decompression services. It is generally performed in a hospital operating room by an orthopedic spine surgeon or neurosurgeon.

Select the code from the documented spinal region and number of segments treated. The operative report should identify the thoracic levels and describe the decompression performed, including whether facets, foramina, or disc material were removed. This major surgery has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during that period. 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 50% multiple procedure reduction. Bilateral adjustment is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery and co-surgeon services may be paid; 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 63016 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

63016 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$1,288.12
Alaska*Unavailable$1,734.18
ArizonaUnavailable$1,410.20
ArkansasUnavailable$1,266.90
AtlantaUnavailable$1,526.44
AustinUnavailable$1,462.37
BakersfieldUnavailable$1,419.37
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$1,572.71
BeaumontUnavailable$1,401.21
BrazoriaUnavailable$1,406.36

63016 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
63016 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 63016 rate is calculated

Each of 63016’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 · 63016

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 21.48Practice expense 14.39Malpractice 7.94

43.8100 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$1,463.29

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 63016

63016 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 63016

Laminectomy

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)2Permitted.
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 · 63016

Laminectomy

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

63016 without 51 · national facility

$1,463.29

Laminectomy

63016-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$731.65

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

63016 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

63016 vs 63003 vs 63017 vs 63046: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 63016
    Laminectomy · 21.48 wRVU
    —
  • 63003
    Thoracic decompression · 17.3 wRVU
    —
  • 63017
    Lumbar laminectomy · 16.9 wRVU
    —
  • 63046
    Thoracic decompression · 16.82 wRVU
    —

How to choose

63003Thoracic decompression
Both are thoracic laminectomy decompressions without facet, foraminal, or disc removal. 63003 covers one or two segments; 63016 is for more than two.
63017Lumbar laminectomy
This code describes more-than-two-segment decompression in the thoracic region; 63017 is the corresponding lumbar-region service.
63046Thoracic decompression
Use 63046 for thoracic decompression that includes facetectomy and foraminotomy. 63016 describes a different decompression pattern without those procedures or disc removal.

Codes related to 63016

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

Codes related to 63016
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
63003Thoracic decompressionThoracic laminectomy decompression for one or two segments.No office rate
63015Cervical decompressionMore-than-two-segment laminectomy decompression in the cervical region.No office rate
63017Lumbar laminectomyMore-than-two-segment laminectomy decompression in the lumbar region.No office rate
Used instead
63046Thoracic decompressionThoracic decompression involving facetectomy and foraminotomy.No office rate

63016 billing questions

How does this differ from 63003?

Both describe thoracic laminectomy decompression without facet, foraminal, or disc removal. Use 63016 when the work spans more than two thoracic segments; 63003 is for one or two.

Is the code reported per thoracic level?

Choose it based on the documented extent of the procedure: more than two thoracic segments. The operative note should name the treated levels rather than presenting the service as a count of separately billed units.

What if the surgeon also removes facet bone or enlarges a foramen?

Those details distinguish other decompression services, including thoracic laminectomy with facetectomy and foraminotomy, such as 63046. The operative report should support the actual work performed.

Should modifier 50 be appended for bilateral decompression?

No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be paid?

Assistant-at-surgery and co-surgeon services may be paid under the CMS rules for this code. Team surgery is not permitted.

What postoperative care is included in the global period?

The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during the 90 days after surgery.

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 63016PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 6,994 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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