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CPT code 66150: Glaucoma surgery2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Reports glaucoma filtration surgery using a trephine to create a scleral opening with peripheral iris removal to support aqueous outflow.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities

Medicare pays $761.21 for 66150 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 66150

Glaucoma surgery

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
10.27
Total RVUs
22.79
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$761.21

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 66150 →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.

Your location

Medicare pays by the payment locality where the service is performed.

On this page 10 sections
  1. Medicare rate
  2. What 66150 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 66150 covers

An ophthalmologist performs this filtration operation by using a trephine to create a small opening through the sclera and removing a portion of peripheral iris. The opening provides a route for aqueous humor to leave the anterior chamber and collect beneath the conjunctiva. The code is specific to this trephination technique, rather than glaucoma surgery generally, and is selected from the operative work documented by the surgeon.

The operative report should identify the trephination and iris removal, the treated eye, and any other procedures performed in the same session. CMS 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 one 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 payment is restricted; co-surgeons require 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 66150 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

66150 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$700.47
AlaskaUnavailable$945.82
ArizonaUnavailable$745.15
ArkansasUnavailable$692.82
Atlanta, GAUnavailable$773.99
Austin, TXUnavailable$781.44
Bakersfield, CAUnavailable$794.53
Baltimore area, MDUnavailable$801.71
Beaumont, TXUnavailable$724.09
Brazoria, TXUnavailable$754.41

66150 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
66150 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 66150 rate is calculated

Each of 66150’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 · 66150

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work10.27

10.27 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense11.70

11.70 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.82

0.82 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

22.7900

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$761.21

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 66150

66150 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 66150

Glaucoma 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)1Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)1Not paid (statutory restriction).
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 · 66150

Glaucoma 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 50 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

66150 without 50 · national facility

$761.21

Glaucoma surgery

66150-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$1,141.82

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

66150 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 66150

    Glaucoma surgery10.27 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 66155

    Glaucoma surgery10.26 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 66170

    Trabeculectomy13.59 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 66172

    Glaucoma surgery14.47 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

66155Glaucoma surgery
66150 uses scleral trephination with peripheral iris removal; 66155 uses thermocauterization for the glaucoma fistulization.
66170Trabeculectomy
66150 describes trephination with iridectomy. Use 66170 for trabeculectomy ab externo when prior ocular surgery or trauma has not produced the specified scarring circumstance.
66172Glaucoma surgery
66172 is for trabeculectomy ab externo with scarring from prior ocular surgery or trauma; 66150 is selected for the trephination technique.

Codes related to 66150

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

Codes related to 66150
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
66155Glaucoma surgeryGlaucoma filtration surgery using thermocauterization rather than trephination.No office rate
66160Glaucoma surgeryGlaucoma filtration variant involving peripheral iridectomy with sclerectomy or a scleral flap.No office rate
Used instead
66170TrabeculectomyTrabeculectomy ab externo when the operative approach is not trephination.No office rate
66172Glaucoma surgeryTrabeculectomy ab externo when scarring from prior ocular surgery or trauma is documented.No office rate
66174CanaloplastyCanal dilation approach to aqueous outflow without a retention device or stent.No office rate
66179Glaucoma shuntAqueous shunt surgery without graft, a different glaucoma drainage approach.No office rate

66150 billing questions

How is 66150 distinguished from trabeculectomy?

Use 66150 when the documented filtration operation uses scleral trephination with peripheral iris removal. A trabeculectomy is reported with the code matching its technique and prior-surgery circumstances.

What operative details support 66150?

The report should identify the trephine-created scleral opening and peripheral iridectomy, along with the treated eye and any other procedures performed.

How is bilateral surgery reported under the CMS fee schedule?

Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150% under the CMS rule for this code.

Are assistant surgeons or co-surgeons payable?

Assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted. Co-surgeons are payable only with supporting documentation; team surgery is not permitted.

What care is included in the global period?

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

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 66150PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 7,363 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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