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Billing code 65730: Corneal transplantMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports full-thickness donor corneal transplantation when a penetrating graft is performed and the case is not classified by aphakia- or pseudophakia-specific codes.

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

Medicare pays $1,067.83 for 65730 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 65730

Corneal transplant

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
15.94
Total RVUs
31.97
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$1,067.83

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 65730 → · 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 65730 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 65730 covers

An ophthalmologist performs penetrating keratoplasty by removing diseased or scarred corneal tissue through its full thickness and securing donor corneal tissue in its place. It may be used for conditions such as advanced keratoconus, corneal scarring, or corneal disease that cannot be managed with a partial-thickness graft. The procedure is commonly performed in a hospital or ambulatory surgery setting, with the operative report documenting the graft technique and the patient’s lens status.

Report 65730 for a penetrating transplant when the case does not fit the aphakia- or pseudophakia-specific codes. The record should support the full-thickness technique, indication, eye treated, and relevant lens status. This major surgery has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made; 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 65730 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

65730 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$987.69
Alaska*Unavailable$1,346.86
ArizonaUnavailable$1,046.40
ArkansasUnavailable$977.63
AtlantaUnavailable$1,085.90
AustinUnavailable$1,092.59
BakersfieldUnavailable$1,108.52
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$1,122.44
BeaumontUnavailable$1,020.45
BrazoriaUnavailable$1,058.25

65730 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
65730 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 65730 rate is calculated

Each of 65730’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 · 65730

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 15.94Practice expense 14.75Malpractice 1.28

31.9700 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$1,067.83

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 65730

65730 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 65730

Corneal transplant

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)1Permitted with supporting documentation.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.10/0.70/0.20Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 65730

Corneal transplant

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 50 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

65730 without 50 · national facility

$1,067.83

Corneal transplant

65730-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$1,601.75

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

65730 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

65730 vs 65710 vs 65750 vs 65755 vs 65756: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 65730
    Corneal transplant · 15.94 wRVU
    —
  • 65710
    Corneal transplant · 14.09 wRVU
    —
  • 65750
    Corneal transplant · 16.48 wRVU
    —
  • 65755
    Corneal transplant · 16.37 wRVU
    —
  • 65756
    Corneal transplant · 16.42 wRVU
    —

How to choose

65710Corneal transplant
Use 65710 for a lamellar graft that replaces only part of the cornea’s thickness. Use 65730 for a penetrating, full-thickness graft.
65750Corneal transplant
65750 identifies penetrating keratoplasty in an aphakic eye; 65730 is not the aphakia-specific choice.
65755Corneal transplant
65755 identifies penetrating keratoplasty in a pseudophakic eye; 65730 is not the pseudophakia-specific choice.
65756Corneal transplant
65756 is for endothelial keratoplasty, a partial-thickness approach. 65730 represents a full-thickness penetrating graft.

Codes related to 65730

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

Codes related to 65730
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
65710Corneal transplantLamellar corneal transplant; differs from this code’s full-thickness penetrating technique.No office rate
65750Corneal transplantPenetrating corneal transplant for an aphakic eye.No office rate
65755Corneal transplantPenetrating corneal transplant for a pseudophakic eye.No office rate
Used instead
65756Corneal transplantEndothelial keratoplasty uses a partial-thickness graft rather than a penetrating transplant.No office rate

65730 billing questions

How is 65730 distinguished from the other penetrating transplant codes?

Choose by the penetrating technique and the lens-status category documented for the case. Codes 65750 and 65755 identify aphakic and pseudophakic cases, respectively.

How does 65730 differ from 65710?

65730 is for a full-thickness penetrating graft; 65710 is used for a lamellar transplant, which replaces only part of the corneal thickness.

What documentation supports 65730?

The operative report should establish the full-thickness graft technique, the treated eye, the clinical indication, and lens status relevant to selecting among the penetrating transplant codes.

Does the 90-day global period include postoperative care?

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

How is bilateral 65730 reported for Medicare payment?

When the procedure is bilateral, modifier 50 is paid at 150% under the CMS rule for this code.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be paid for 65730?

Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made. 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 65730PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 7,328 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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