No office rate
62121 describes repair of a skull-base encephalocele. Code 62100 is directed to repair of a dural or cerebrospinal fluid leak.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
62121 in Merced
Office / nonfacility
Not available in this setting
Base rate per service
Facility setting
$1400.48
Base rate per service
Amounts below use the non-QP conversion factor for participating physicians. These are base physician payments before claim-level adjustments, not patient costs or total hospital charges.
Neurosurgery
About 62121: Skull-base encephalocele repair
Reports open surgical repair of a skull-base encephalocele, where herniated intracranial contents pass through a defect in the skull base.
A neurosurgeon repairs a skull-base defect associated with an encephalocele, in which intracranial tissue or its coverings protrude through the skull. The operation uses an open skull approach to address the defect and may include reconstruction needed to complete the repair. These cases are typically performed in a hospital operating room, often with neurosurgery and other surgical specialists involved when the anatomy requires it.
Report 62121 for the documented skull-base encephalocele repair, rather than a general repair of a cerebrospinal fluid leak or reconstruction of a separate skull defect. The operative note should identify the encephalocele, the skull-base defect, and the repair performed. This major surgery has a 90-day global period that includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this service. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 62121
- Global period
- Major surgery with a 90-day global period: the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included.
- Multiple procedures
- Standard multiple procedure reduction: the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50% when performed in the same session.
- Bilateral procedures
- Bilateral adjustment does not apply; the descriptor or anatomy makes modifier 50 inappropriate.
- Assistant at surgery
- Assistant at surgery may be paid.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons paid only with supporting documentation.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU22.45 · 52%
- Practice expense (office) RVU14.52 · 34%
- Malpractice RVU5.94 · 14%
267
Medicare services in 2024 · #4085 by national volume
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.
62121 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Merced, from the same CMS release.
No office rate
Both concern skull-base encephalocele repair. Use the full CPT descriptors and documented operative details to determine which procedure was performed.
No office rate
62140 is cranioplasty for a skull defect. It is not a substitute for a skull-base encephalocele repair.
The same code, a different location
How does Merced compare?
62121 across payment areas
Same release and payment basis · bars start at $0
Merced · This locality
Unavailable
Unavailable
No comparable rate is available in this setting.
Unavailable
No comparable rate is available in this setting.
Unavailable
No comparable rate is available in this setting.
Unavailable
No comparable rate is available in this setting.
Unavailable
No comparable rate is available in this setting.
No comparable rate is available in this setting.
Other payment areas listed in California appear first, followed by selected cross-country examples. The chart compares amounts, not distance.
The code’s RVUs stay the same in these comparisons. Geographic adjustments to work, practice expense and malpractice change the dollar amount. A city name alone may not identify the payment area for a service address.
Compare all 108 other payment areas
Madera
California · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1400.48
No comparable office rate is available.
Modesto
California · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1400.48
No comparable office rate is available.
Napa
California · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1537.08
No comparable office rate is available.
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura
California · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1467.70
No comparable office rate is available.
Redding
California · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1400.48
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of California
California · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1400.48
No comparable office rate is available.
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
California · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1464.12
No comparable office rate is available.
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom
California · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1447.22
No comparable office rate is available.
Salinas
California · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1441.53
No comparable office rate is available.
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
California · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1459.92
No comparable office rate is available.
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (Marin Cnty)
California · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1595.98
No comparable office rate is available.
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (San Francisco/San Mateo/Alameda/Contra Costa Cnty)
California · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1589.23
No comparable office rate is available.
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty)
California · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1638.02
No comparable office rate is available.
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (Santa Clara Cnty)
California · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1610.44
No comparable office rate is available.
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles
California · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1421.33
No comparable office rate is available.
Santa Cruz-Watsonville
California · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1461.19
No comparable office rate is available.
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
California · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1442.68
No comparable office rate is available.
Santa Rosa-Petaluma
California · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1474.25
No comparable office rate is available.
Stockton
California · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1400.48
No comparable office rate is available.
Vallejo
California · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1527.36
No comparable office rate is available.
Visalia
California · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1400.48
No comparable office rate is available.
Yuba City
California · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1400.48
No comparable office rate is available.
Dc + Md/Va Suburbs
District of Columbia · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1582.47
No comparable office rate is available.
Miami
Florida · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1756.47
No comparable office rate is available.
Chicago
Illinois · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1697.84
No comparable office rate is available.
Manhattan
New York · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1676.05
No comparable office rate is available.
Alaska*
Alaska · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1750.60
No comparable office rate is available.
Alabama
Alabama · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1286.50
No comparable office rate is available.
Arkansas
Arkansas · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1268.63
No comparable office rate is available.
Arizona
Arizona · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1389.63
No comparable office rate is available.
Colorado
Colorado · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1429.82
No comparable office rate is available.
Connecticut
Connecticut · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1527.24
No comparable office rate is available.
Delaware
Delaware · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1411.12
No comparable office rate is available.
Fort Lauderdale
Florida · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1599.85
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Florida
Florida · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1511.69
No comparable office rate is available.
Atlanta
Georgia · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1483.12
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Georgia
Georgia · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1418.95
No comparable office rate is available.
Hawaii, Guam
Hawaii · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1416.15
No comparable office rate is available.
Iowa
Iowa · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1272.37
No comparable office rate is available.
Idaho
Idaho · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1289.88
No comparable office rate is available.
East St. Louis
Illinois · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1595.61
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Illinois
Illinois · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1502.74
No comparable office rate is available.
Suburban Chicago
Illinois · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1604.74
No comparable office rate is available.
Indiana
Indiana · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1295.85
No comparable office rate is available.
Kansas
Kansas · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1288.27
No comparable office rate is available.
Kentucky
Kentucky · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1362.54
No comparable office rate is available.
New Orleans
Louisiana · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1431.60
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Louisiana
Louisiana · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1369.13
No comparable office rate is available.
Metropolitan Boston
Massachusetts · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1536.24
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Massachusetts
Massachusetts · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1430.66
No comparable office rate is available.
Baltimore/Surr. Cntys
Maryland · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1527.65
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Maryland
Maryland · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1430.28
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Maine
Maine · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1319.44
No comparable office rate is available.
Southern Maine
Maine · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1355.66
No comparable office rate is available.
Detroit
Michigan · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1552.36
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Michigan
Michigan · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1416.63
No comparable office rate is available.
Minnesota
Minnesota · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1307.62
No comparable office rate is available.
Metropolitan Kansas City
Missouri · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1399.09
No comparable office rate is available.
Metropolitan St. Louis
Missouri · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1410.35
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Missouri
Missouri · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1361.15
No comparable office rate is available.
Mississippi
Mississippi · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1314.04
No comparable office rate is available.
Montana**
Montana · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1432.84
No comparable office rate is available.
North Carolina
North Carolina · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1329.12
No comparable office rate is available.
North Dakota**
North Dakota · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1315.38
No comparable office rate is available.
Nebraska
Nebraska · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1272.48
No comparable office rate is available.
New Hampshire
New Hampshire · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1428.32
No comparable office rate is available.
Northern Nj
New Jersey · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1571.56
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of New Jersey
New Jersey · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1527.09
No comparable office rate is available.
New Mexico
New Mexico · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1432.86
No comparable office rate is available.
Nevada**
Nevada · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1400.58
No comparable office rate is available.
Nyc Suburbs/Long Island
New York · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1742.91
No comparable office rate is available.
Poughkpsie/N Nyc Suburbs
New York · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1554.71
No comparable office rate is available.
Queens
New York · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1657.18
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of New York
New York · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1350.06
No comparable office rate is available.
Ohio
Ohio · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1392.63
No comparable office rate is available.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1337.10
No comparable office rate is available.
Portland
Oregon · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1448.27
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Oregon
Oregon · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1372.37
No comparable office rate is available.
Metropolitan Philadelphia
Pennsylvania · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1504.91
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1382.55
No comparable office rate is available.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1435.59
No comparable office rate is available.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1442.06
No comparable office rate is available.
South Carolina
South Carolina · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1366.61
No comparable office rate is available.
South Dakota**
South Dakota · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1301.49
No comparable office rate is available.
Tennessee
Tennessee · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1297.24
No comparable office rate is available.
Austin
Texas · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1440.24
No comparable office rate is available.
Beaumont
Texas · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1375.50
No comparable office rate is available.
Brazoria
Texas · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1391.22
No comparable office rate is available.
Dallas
Texas · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1409.87
No comparable office rate is available.
Fort Worth
Texas · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1407.60
No comparable office rate is available.
Galveston
Texas · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1401.71
No comparable office rate is available.
Houston
Texas · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1510.44
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Texas
Texas · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1389.25
No comparable office rate is available.
Utah
Utah · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1383.90
No comparable office rate is available.
Virginia
Virginia · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1366.66
No comparable office rate is available.
Virgin Islands
United States Virgin Islands · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1435.59
No comparable office rate is available.
Vermont
Vermont · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1330.37
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Washington
Washington · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1421.27
No comparable office rate is available.
Seattle (King Cnty)
Washington · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1544.51
No comparable office rate is available.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1275.57
No comparable office rate is available.
West Virginia
West Virginia · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1455.21
No comparable office rate is available.
Wyoming**
Wyoming · 62121
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$1381.65
No comparable office rate is available.
See how rates vary across the country
62121 · Office / nonfacility · Non-QP. Choose a state to explore its payment localities. A range means the amount varies within that state.
Explore a state
Local rates. Clear comparisons.
Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.
View all state and territory rates as a table
| State / territory | Rate range | Localities |
|---|---|---|
| AK | No published base rate | 1 |
| AL | No published base rate | 1 |
| AR | No published base rate | 1 |
| AZ | No published base rate | 1 |
| CA | No published base rate | 29 |
| CO | No published base rate | 1 |
| CT | No published base rate | 1 |
| DC | No published base rate | 1 |
| DE | No published base rate | 1 |
| FL | No published base rate | 3 |
| GA | No published base rate | 2 |
| GU | No published base rate | 1 |
| HI | No published base rate | 1 |
| IA | No published base rate | 1 |
| ID | No published base rate | 1 |
| IL | No published base rate | 4 |
| IN | No published base rate | 1 |
| KS | No published base rate | 1 |
| KY | No published base rate | 1 |
| LA | No published base rate | 2 |
| MA | No published base rate | 2 |
| MD | No published base rate | 3 |
| ME | No published base rate | 2 |
| MI | No published base rate | 2 |
| MN | No published base rate | 1 |
| MO | No published base rate | 3 |
| MS | No published base rate | 1 |
| MT | No published base rate | 1 |
| NC | No published base rate | 1 |
| ND | No published base rate | 1 |
| NE | No published base rate | 1 |
| NH | No published base rate | 1 |
| NJ | No published base rate | 2 |
| NM | No published base rate | 1 |
| NV | No published base rate | 1 |
| NY | No published base rate | 5 |
| OH | No published base rate | 1 |
| OK | No published base rate | 1 |
| OR | No published base rate | 2 |
| PA | No published base rate | 2 |
| PR | No published base rate | 1 |
| RI | No published base rate | 1 |
| SC | No published base rate | 1 |
| SD | No published base rate | 1 |
| TN | No published base rate | 1 |
| TX | No published base rate | 8 |
| UT | No published base rate | 1 |
| VA | No published base rate | 2 |
| VI | No published base rate | 1 |
| VT | No published base rate | 1 |
| WA | No published base rate | 2 |
| WI | No published base rate | 1 |
| WV | No published base rate | 1 |
| WY | No published base rate | 1 |
Where does this rate apply?
Merced is a Medicare payment area. Our Census mapping connects it to 24 cities and communities in California, including the examples shown here.
Some communities span more than one payment area. Follow a city link to compare all of its mapped areas, or check the service-location ZIP above for an address-level starting point.
Use this rate
What is a percentage of Medicare worth?
Turn a percentage into dollars for 62121 in Merced. This uses the base rate on this page, so the locality and release stay consistent.
Reference amount per service
$1540.53
$1400.48 × 110% = $1540.53
A contract may specify another Medicare year or additional adjustments. This is percentage arithmetic on the displayed base rate, not a claim adjudication.
Working with a whole code list?
Compare an offer across your annual code mix, including an older Medicare schedule or flat per-code rates.
How this local rate is calculated
Each RVU component is multiplied by its own geographic practice cost index (GPCI). The three adjusted components are added, then multiplied by the conversion factor. These are the inputs used for 62121 in Merced.
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
6,914
- Code
- 62121
- Physician work
- 22.45
- Practice expense
- 14.52
- Malpractice
- 5.94
GPCI2026.csv
15
- Locality
- Merced
- Physician work
- 1.017
- Practice expense
- 1.096
- Malpractice
- 0.536
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 22.45 | × 1.017 | 22.8316 |
| Practice expense | 14.52 | × 1.096 | 15.9139 |
| Malpractice | 5.94 | × 0.536 | 3.1838 |
| Total RVUs | 41.9294 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Facility rate, Merced$1400.48
Open 62121 in the RVU calculator →
Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula
Facility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 22.45 | 1.017 |
| Practice expense | 14.52 | 1.096 |
| Malpractice | 5.94 | 0.536 |
(22.45 × 1.017 + 14.52 × 1.096 + 5.94 × 0.536) × $33.4009 = $1400.48
The office and facility calculations use their respective practice-expense RVUs. The facility amount here is the physician fee, not a separate hospital or facility bill.
How this rate has changed
62121 · Office / nonfacility
Rate unavailable
Effective 2026-10-01
A rate is unavailable in one of these releases, so a change cannot be calculated.
One bar per available release, ordered by effective date. Missing rates remain gaps. These comparisons hold the code, setting and locality identifiers constant; they do not isolate which policy or input caused a change.
What changed, release by release
Explore release dates and calculate this code in an earlier period →
Each row uses the accepted CMS release effective on that date and the same contractor and locality identifiers. Missing rates stay visible. Historical boundaries may differ; verify the service address for an older claim.
Inspect every release and its CMS source
| Effective from | Office / nonfacility | Facility | CMS release |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $1400.48 | RVU26D |
| 2026-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $1400.48 | RVU26C |
| 2026-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $1400.48 | RVU26B |
| 2026-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $1400.48 | RVU26A |
| 2025-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $1500.29 | RVU25D |
| 2025-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $1500.29 | RVU25C |
| 2025-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $1500.29 | RVU25B |
| 2025-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $1500.29 | RVU25A |
62121 billing questions
When should 62121 be selected instead of 62100?
Use 62121 for repair of a skull-base encephalocele. Code 62100 describes repair of a dural or cerebrospinal fluid leak, so the operative indication and work performed distinguish the services.
How is 62121 distinguished from 62120?
Both codes concern skull-base encephalocele repair. Confirm the specific procedure performed against the full CPT descriptors and operative report before choosing between them.
Can modifier 50 be appended when the repair involves both sides?
No. CMS identifies modifier 50 as inappropriate for this service; report the procedure without a bilateral adjustment.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care. A separately reportable service must be distinct from that included care.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, while team surgery is not permitted.
What happens when another procedure is performed in the same session?
Under the standard multiple-procedure reduction, CMS pays the highest-valued procedure in full and other procedures at 50%.
Where these rates come from
FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense, and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indices and the applicable conversion factor. Unavailable or separately priced services are labeled rather than assigned a made-up amount.
Source: RVU26D. Effective 2026-10-01 through the day before 2027-01-01.
6,91162115,,Reduction of skull defect,A,,22.34,18.57,NA,18.57,,9.42,50.33,50.33,0,090,0.11,0.76,0.13,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
6,91262117,,Reduction of skull defect,A,,27.64,17.73,NA,17.73,,11.70,57.07,57.07,0,090,0.11,0.76,0.13,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
6,91362120,,Repair skull cavity lesion,A,,23.98,30.10,NA,30.10,,10.13,64.21,64.21,0,090,0.11,0.76,0.13,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
6,91462121,,Incise skull repair,A,,22.45,14.52,NA,14.52,,5.94,42.91,42.91,0,090,0.11,0.76,0.13,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
6,91562140,,Crnop skull defect<5 cm diam,A,,14.19,10.22,NA,10.22,,4.90,29.31,29.31,0,090,0.11,0.76,0.13,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
6,91662141,,Crnop skull defect>5 cm diam,A,,15.67,11.76,NA,11.76,,5.97,33.40,33.40,0,090,0.11,0.76,0.13,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
6,91762142,,Rmvl b1 flp/prostc plate skl,A,,11.53,10.81,NA,10.81,,4.64,26.98,26.98,0,090,0.11,0.76,0.13,2,0,2,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
1201112,CA,57,HANFORD-CORCORAN,1.017,1.096,0.536
1301182,CA,18,LOS ANGELES-LONG BEACH-ANAHEIM (LOS ANGELES/ORANGE CNTY),1.041,1.183,0.664
1401112,CA,58,MADERA,1.017,1.096,0.536
1501112,CA,59,MERCED,1.017,1.096,0.536
1601112,CA,60,MODESTO,1.017,1.096,0.536
1701112,CA,51,NAPA,1.063,1.318,0.508
1801182,CA,17,OXNARD-THOUSAND OAKS-VENTURA,1.028,1.182,0.623