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CPT 63276: Spinal lesion surgeryMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports thoracic laminectomy to biopsy or remove a neoplasm located in the spinal canal outside the dura.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities1.5K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $1,727.16 for 63276 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 63276

Spinal lesion surgery

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
25.05
Total RVUs
51.71
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$1,727.16

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 63276 →

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 63276 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 63276 covers

A neurosurgeon or spine surgeon uses a thoracic laminectomy to reach a lesion in the spinal canal that lies outside the dura, then obtains a biopsy or removes the lesion. The code is for an extradural neoplasm in the thoracic region; examples may include a tumor involving the epidural space or extending into it. The operative report should establish the lesion’s location and compartment, the thoracic level, and whether the surgeon sampled or excised it.

Select this code when the lesion is both neoplastic and extradural, rather than by the amount of tissue removed. A non-neoplastic extradural lesion and a neoplasm within the dura belong to different code choices. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during that period. For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this anatomically defined service. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and 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 63276 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

63276 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$1,514.50
Alaska*Unavailable$2,034.80
ArizonaUnavailable$1,662.49
ArkansasUnavailable$1,488.77
AtlantaUnavailable$1,804.60
AustinUnavailable$1,724.07
BakersfieldUnavailable$1,668.81
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$1,859.34
BeaumontUnavailable$1,653.25
BrazoriaUnavailable$1,656.63

63276 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
63276 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 63276 rate is calculated

Each of 63276’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 · 63276

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 25.05Practice expense 16.84Malpractice 9.82

51.7100 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$1,727.16

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 63276

63276 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 63276

Spinal lesion surgery

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)1Permitted with supporting documentation.
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 · 63276

Spinal lesion surgery

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

63276 without 51 · national facility

$1,727.16

Spinal lesion surgery

63276-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$863.58

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

63276 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

63276 vs 63266 vs 63271 vs 63281 vs 63277: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 63276
    Spinal lesion surgery · 25.05 wRVU
    —
  • 63266
    Spinal lesion excision · 24.06 wRVU
    —
  • 63271
    Spinal lesion excision · 29.17 wRVU
    —
  • 63281
    Spinal lesion surgery · 29.24 wRVU
    —
  • 63277
    Spinal lesion surgery · 21.83 wRVU
    —

How to choose

63266Spinal lesion excision
Both concern thoracic extradural lesions. Choose 63276 for a neoplasm; 63266 is for an extradural lesion other than a neoplasm.
63271Spinal lesion excision
63271 concerns a thoracic intradural lesion other than a neoplasm. This code is for an extradural neoplasm.
63281Spinal lesion surgery
Both address thoracic neoplasms, but 63281 is for an intradural, extramedullary lesion; this code is for an extradural lesion.
63277Spinal lesion surgery
The lesion type and extradural location match, but 63277 applies to the lumbar region rather than the thoracic region.

Codes related to 63276

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

Codes related to 63276
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
63275Spinal lesion surgeryBiopsy or excision of an extradural neoplasm in the cervical region.No office rate
63277Spinal lesion surgeryBiopsy or excision of an extradural neoplasm in the lumbar region.No office rate
63278Spinal lesion surgeryBiopsy or excision of an extradural neoplasm in the sacral region.No office rate
Used instead
63266Spinal lesion excisionThoracic extradural lesion surgery when the lesion is not a neoplasm.No office rate
63281Spinal lesion surgeryThoracic neoplasm surgery when the lesion is intradural and extramedullary.No office rate

63276 billing questions

How does this differ from 63266?

63276 is for biopsy or excision of an extradural neoplasm in the thoracic region. 63266 is for an extradural lesion other than a neoplasm.

When is 63281 a better fit?

Use 63281 for a thoracic neoplasm located within the dura but outside the spinal cord. The lesion’s relationship to the dura and cord should be clear in the operative report.

Does the code include postoperative visits?

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

Can modifier 50 be appended?

No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this anatomically defined service.

How are other procedures in the same session paid?

The highest-valued procedure is paid in full; other procedures in the session are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

An assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; team surgery is not permitted.

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 63276PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 7,052 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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