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Billing code 63287: Spinal lesion surgeryMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports operative biopsy or removal of a lesion within the spinal cord substance in the thoracolumbar region, rather than outside the cord.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities43 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $2,641.01 for 63287 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 63287

Spinal lesion surgery

Work RVUs
39.08
Total RVUs
79.07
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$2,641.01

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 63287 →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 63287 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 63287 covers

A neurosurgeon uses an operative approach to reach a lesion within the spinal cord substance in the thoracolumbar region, obtain tissue, remove the lesion, or do both. The code is specific to an intradural, intramedullary lesion; a mass outside the cord, even if it is intradural, has a different anatomic relationship. These procedures are generally performed in a hospital operating room, and the operative report should establish the lesion’s level and its location within the cord.

Report the service when the documented operation is a biopsy or excision of an intramedullary lesion at the thoracolumbar level. The record should support the treated segment, the lesion’s intradural and intramedullary location, and the work performed. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; 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 63287 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

63287 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$2,303.86
Alaska*Unavailable$3,097.38
ArizonaUnavailable$2,537.36
ArkansasUnavailable$2,263.21
AtlantaUnavailable$2,768.19
AustinUnavailable$2,626.36
BakersfieldUnavailable$2,525.81
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$2,849.73
BeaumontUnavailable$2,531.26
BrazoriaUnavailable$2,523.22

63287 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
63287 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 63287 rate is calculated

Each of 63287’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 · 63287

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Work39.08

39.08 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense23.50

23.50 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice16.49

16.49 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

79.0700

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$2,641.01

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 63287

63287 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 63287

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 · 63287

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.

  • 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 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

63287 without 51 · national facility

$2,641.01

Spinal lesion surgery

63287-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$1,320.51

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

63287 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

  • 63287

    Spinal lesion surgery39.08 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 63286

    Spinal lesion surgery36.68 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 63282

    Spinal lesion surgery27.45 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 63277

    Spinal lesion surgery21.83 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

63286Spinal lesion surgery
This code is for an intradural, intramedullary lesion in the thoracolumbar region; 63286 identifies the thoracic region.
63282Spinal lesion surgery
63282 concerns an intradural spinal lesion in the lumbar region, not specifically a lesion within the spinal cord substance. Confirm the lesion compartment before choosing.
63277Spinal lesion surgery
63277 is for biopsy or excision of an extradural lesion in the lumbar region. This code requires an intradural, intramedullary lesion at the thoracolumbar level.

Codes related to 63287

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

Codes related to 63287
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
63285Spinal cord lesionIntramedullary lesion procedure for the cervical region.No office rate
63286Spinal lesion surgeryIntramedullary lesion procedure for the thoracic region.No office rate
Used instead
63290Spinal lesion surgeryAny-level intraspinal lesion biopsy or excision code; distinguish by its descriptor and operative circumstances.No office rate

63287 billing questions

How does this differ from code 63286?

Both address intradural, intramedullary lesions, but 63286 is for the thoracic region. Use 63287 when the operative level is thoracolumbar.

Can this code be used for a lesion outside the spinal cord?

No. The lesion must be within the cord substance. An extradural lesion or an intradural lesion outside the cord is coded according to its different compartment.

What documentation supports reporting this code?

Document the thoracolumbar level, the lesion’s intradural and intramedullary location, and whether the surgeon biopsied or excised it. The operative report should make the anatomic compartment clear.

How does the 90-day global period affect related postoperative care?

The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included in the global period. Medicare also applies its standard multiple-procedure reduction when other procedures are performed in the same session.

May an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made. Co-surgeons are paid only with supporting documentation; team surgery is not permitted.

Should modifier 50 be used for a lesion on one side of the cord?

No. The code’s anatomy and descriptor make bilateral adjustment inappropriate; modifier 50 is not the way to represent a unilateral cord lesion.

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 63287PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 7,061 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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