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Billing code 66920: Lens extractionMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports surgical removal of the crystalline lens with its capsule when an intracapsular extraction is performed without the one-stage implant service.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities80 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $634.95 for 66920 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 66920

Lens extraction

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
9.88
Total RVUs
19.01
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$634.95

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 66920 → · 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 66920 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 66920 covers

An ophthalmologist removes the crystalline lens together with its capsule using an intracapsular technique. This is a cataract operation, generally performed in an operating room or other surgical facility. The operative report should identify the extraction method and establish that the capsule was removed with the lens, rather than left in place as in an extracapsular approach. Code 66920 represents the extraction service, not the one-stage intracapsular extraction with lens implant described by code 66983.

Choose the code from the procedure actually performed, not simply the diagnosis of cataract. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. For bilateral surgery reported with modifier 50, payment is at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity; 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 66920 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

66920 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$588.68
Alaska*Unavailable$806.21
ArizonaUnavailable$622.52
ArkansasUnavailable$582.88
AtlantaUnavailable$645.70
AustinUnavailable$648.76
BakersfieldUnavailable$657.65
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$666.82
BeaumontUnavailable$608.01
BrazoriaUnavailable$629.28

66920 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
66920 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 66920 rate is calculated

Each of 66920’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 · 66920

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 9.88Practice expense 8.34Malpractice 0.79

19.0100 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$634.95

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 66920

66920 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 66920

Lens extraction

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)0Not paid without supporting documentation.
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 · 66920

Lens extraction

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

66920 without 50 · national facility

$634.95

Lens extraction

66920-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$952.43

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

66920 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

66920 vs 66930 vs 66940 vs 66983 vs 66984: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 66920
    Lens extraction · 9.88 wRVU
    —
  • 66930
    Lens extraction · 11.32 wRVU
    —
  • 66940
    Lens extraction · 10.11 wRVU
    —
  • 66983
    · 0 wRVU
    —
  • 66984
    Cataract surgery · 7.17 wRVU
    —

How to choose

66930Lens extraction
Both are intracapsular lens-removal services. Choose 66930 when the documented procedure uses the aspiration technique specified for that code.
66940Lens extraction
66940 is for an extracapsular approach, which leaves the capsule rather than removing it with the lens. Use 66920 when the operative report documents intracapsular removal.
66983Cataract surg w/iol 1 stage
66983 includes one-stage intracapsular cataract extraction with intraocular lens insertion. 66920 describes the intracapsular extraction service without that combined implant service.
66984Cataract surgery
66984 combines an extracapsular cataract removal with intraocular lens insertion. It differs from 66920 in both the extraction approach and the included implant service.

Codes related to 66920

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

Codes related to 66920
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
66930Lens extractionAnother intracapsular lens-removal code, distinguished by its aspiration technique.No office rate
Used instead
66940Lens extractionReports lens removal by an extracapsular rather than intracapsular approach.No office rate
66983Cataract surg w/iol 1 stageReports one-stage intracapsular cataract extraction with intraocular lens insertion.No office rate
66984Cataract surgeryReports extracapsular cataract removal with intraocular lens insertion.No office rate

66920 billing questions

How does 66920 differ from 66940?

66920 describes an intracapsular approach, in which the lens and capsule are removed together. Use 66940 for an extracapsular extraction, where the capsule is not removed with the lens.

When is 66983 more appropriate?

66983 describes a one-stage intracapsular cataract extraction with insertion of an intraocular lens. When that implant is placed as part of the operation, report the code that includes the combined service rather than 66920 alone.

What documentation supports 66920?

The operative report should identify the intracapsular technique and document removal of the lens with its capsule. A cataract diagnosis by itself does not establish which extraction method was performed.

What does the 90-day global period include?

It includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. These services are part of the surgical global period.

How is bilateral surgery reported and paid?

For bilateral surgery reported with modifier 50, CMS payment is at 150%. The CMS multiple-procedure reduction also applies when multiple procedures are performed in the same session.

When can an assistant or co-surgeon be paid?

Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity. 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 66920PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 7,402 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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