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Billing code 66940: Lens extractionMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports manual extracapsular removal of the crystalline lens without concurrent intraocular lens implantation, typically during cataract surgery.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities353 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $668.02 for 66940 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 66940

Lens extraction

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
10.11
Total RVUs
20.00
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$668.02

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 66940 → · 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 66940 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 66940 covers

An ophthalmologist removes the crystalline lens through an incision while leaving the posterior capsule in place. This manual extracapsular approach is distinct from intracapsular removal and from cataract procedures that include placement of an intraocular lens. It is performed in an operating-room setting, commonly when the surgeon chooses a manual extraction rather than phacoemulsification. The code represents lens removal, not implantation of an IOL during the same procedure.

Select this code when the operative report supports extracapsular removal without concurrent IOL placement; document the extraction technique and lens disposition. The service 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 requires documented medical necessity, and co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation. 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 66940 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

66940 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$618.37
Alaska*Unavailable$844.43
ArizonaUnavailable$654.72
ArkansasUnavailable$612.13
AtlantaUnavailable$679.32
AustinUnavailable$683.20
BakersfieldUnavailable$692.97
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$701.97
BeaumontUnavailable$638.80
BrazoriaUnavailable$662.04

66940 rates by state

Office rate range in each state. Select a state to see its payment localities.

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

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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
66940 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 66940 rate is calculated

Each of 66940’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 · 66940

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 10.11Practice expense 9.08Malpractice 0.81

20.0000 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$668.02

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 66940

66940 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 66940

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 · 66940

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

66940 without 50 · national facility

$668.02

Lens extraction

66940-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$1,002.03

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

66940 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

66940 vs 66920 vs 66930 vs 66984 vs 66982: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 66940
    Lens extraction · 10.11 wRVU
    —
  • 66920
    Lens extraction · 9.88 wRVU
    —
  • 66930
    Lens extraction · 11.32 wRVU
    —
  • 66984
    Cataract surgery · 7.17 wRVU
    —
  • 66982
    Cataract surgery · 9.99 wRVU
    —

How to choose

66920Lens extraction
66920 is for intracapsular lens removal; 66940 is for extracapsular removal, leaving the posterior capsule in place.
66930Lens extraction
66930 identifies intracapsular removal for a dislocated lens. 66940 describes extracapsular removal, not that dislocation-specific procedure.
66984Cataract surgery
66984 includes cataract extraction with IOL placement during the same procedure. 66940 reports extracapsular lens removal without concurrent IOL implantation.
66982Cataract surgery
66982 is for complex cataract extraction with IOL placement. 66940 is the extracapsular removal service without a concurrent implant.

Codes related to 66940

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

Codes related to 66940
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
66920Lens extractionLens removal by an intracapsular approach rather than the extracapsular approach represented by 66940.No office rate
66930Lens extractionIntracapsular lens removal for a dislocated lens, rather than extracapsular removal.No office rate
Used instead
66984Cataract surgeryCataract extraction with concurrent IOL placement, rather than lens removal alone.No office rate
66983Cataract surg w/iol 1 stageIntracapsular cataract extraction with concurrent IOL placement.No office rate
66982Cataract surgeryComplex cataract extraction with IOL placement when the documented procedure meets that code's criteria.No office rate

66940 billing questions

How is 66940 different from 66984?

66940 reports extracapsular lens removal without concurrent IOL placement. Use the applicable cataract extraction code that includes IOL insertion when a lens implant is placed during the same operation.

How do I distinguish 66940 from 66920?

The key distinction is the extraction approach: 66940 is extracapsular, with the capsule retained, while 66920 represents intracapsular removal.

Does 66940 include an IOL?

No. It reports lens removal without concurrent IOL implantation. The operative note should establish whether an implant was placed and which procedure was performed.

What documentation supports 66940?

Document the manual extracapsular extraction, the operative approach, and whether an IOL was implanted. The record should support choosing this procedure rather than an intracapsular or extraction-with-IOL code.

Can 66940 be reported bilaterally?

For bilateral procedures, CMS pays 150% when modifier 50 is used, subject to the applicable claim reporting requirements.

What is included in the global period?

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

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 66940PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 7,404 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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