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Billing code 63020: Cervical laminotomyMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports posterior decompression of cervical nerve roots at one interspace, with limited bone removal and possible removal of a herniated disc.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities895 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $1,064.15 for 63020 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 63020

Cervical laminotomy

Work RVUs
14.54
Total RVUs
31.86
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$1,064.15

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 63020 →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 63020 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 63020 covers

A spine surgeon uses a posterior approach to relieve pressure on cervical nerve root tissue at one interspace. The operation may involve removing part of the lamina or facet and widening the nerve exit opening; a herniated disc may also be removed when needed. Typical indications include cervical radiculopathy associated with a disc herniation or narrowing around the nerve root. These procedures are commonly performed in a hospital or ambulatory surgery facility.

Report this code for one cervical interspace, documenting the level, side, nerve-root compression, and decompression performed. For another cervical interspace treated during the same session, report the additional-level code 63035 rather than repeating this code. The service has a 90-day global period that includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care for 90 days. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued is paid in full and the others at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. 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 63020 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

63020 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$942.71
Alaska*Unavailable$1,262.86
ArizonaUnavailable$1,028.25
ArkansasUnavailable$927.89
AtlantaUnavailable$1,104.28
AustinUnavailable$1,071.33
BakersfieldUnavailable$1,051.49
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$1,140.23
BeaumontUnavailable$1,015.11
BrazoriaUnavailable$1,029.28

63020 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
63020 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 63020 rate is calculated

Each of 63020’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 · 63020

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Work14.54

14.54 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense12.56

12.56 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice4.76

4.76 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

31.8600

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$1,064.15

Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 63020

63020 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 63020

Cervical laminotomy

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)1Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount.
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 · 63020

Cervical laminotomy

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.

  • 24Unrelated E/M visit by the same physician
  • 79Unrelated procedure (starts its own global period)
  • 58Staged, more extensive, or therapy procedure that was planned
  • 78Unplanned 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 50 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

63020 without 50 · national facility

$1,064.15

Cervical laminotomy

63020-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$1,596.23

Both sides on one line with modifier 50 are paid at 150% of the fee schedule amount (subject to multiple-procedure rules with other procedures).

When to use modifier 50

63020 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

5 codes, side by side

  • 63020

    Cervical laminotomy14.54 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 63030

    Lumbar decompression11.7 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 63035

    Nerve-root decompression3.76 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 63040

    Cervical laminotomy19.8 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 63045

    Cervical decompression17.5 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

63030Lumbar decompression
The corresponding single-interspace nerve-root decompression applies to the lumbar spine; 63020 is for the cervical spine.
63035Nerve-root decompression
63035 reports each additional cervical interspace in the same session; 63020 reports the primary single interspace.
63040Cervical laminotomy
63040 is used for cervical re-exploration. 63020 describes the applicable single-interspace operation without that re-exploration circumstance.
63045Cervical decompression
63045 describes segmental cervical decompression for stenosis using laminectomy, facetectomy, and foraminotomy; 63020 is the single-interspace laminotomy-based nerve-root procedure.

Codes related to 63020

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

Codes related to 63020
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Add-on codes
63035Nerve-root decompressionAdd-on code for each additional cervical interspace treated with the primary procedure.No office rate
Same family
63030Lumbar decompressionComparable nerve-root decompression for a single lumbar interspace.No office rate
Used instead
63040Cervical laminotomyCervical nerve-root decompression when the operation is a re-exploration.No office rate
63045Cervical decompressionCervical segmental decompression for stenosis using a broader laminectomy approach.No office rate

63020 billing questions

When should 63020 be used instead of 63030?

Use 63020 for a single cervical interspace and 63030 for a single lumbar interspace when the comparable nerve-root decompression is performed.

How is a second cervical interspace reported?

Report 63035 for each additional cervical interspace treated in the same session with the primary procedure. Document each level treated.

What documentation supports 63020?

The operative report should identify the cervical interspace and side, the nerve-root compression, and the work performed to decompress it, including any disc removal.

Can modifier 50 be reported?

CMS identifies this as a bilateral procedure; bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. The operative documentation should support work on both sides.

How does 63020 differ from 63040?

63040 is for cervical nerve-root decompression performed as a re-exploration. Use 63020 for the applicable single-interspace procedure when it is not a re-exploration.

What postoperative care is included?

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

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 63020PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 6,996 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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