Billing code 61557: Craniosynostosis surgeryMedicare rate & RVUs in Alaska
Craniectomy for craniosynostosis involving multiple fused cranial sutures, reported when operative treatment releases more than one affected suture.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 61557 in Alaska.
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 9 sections
What 61557 covers
This operation treats craniosynostosis in which multiple cranial sutures have fused prematurely. A neurosurgeon, often working in a pediatric craniofacial setting, removes bone along the affected sutures to release restricted skull growth. The operative plan and extent depend on the sutures involved and the child’s skull deformity; this code identifies the multiple-suture craniectomy service rather than surgery limited to one suture.
Report the code when the operative record supports treatment of multiple synostotic sutures by craniectomy. Document the affected sutures, the extent of bone removal, and the procedure performed so the multiple-suture service is clear. The code has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; 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.
61557 in Alaska*
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska* | Unavailable | $1,947.24 |
How the 61557 rate is calculated
Each of 61557’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 · 61557
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work22.73
22.73 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense17.76
17.76 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice9.60
9.60 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
50.0900
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$1,673.05
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 61557
61557 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 61557
Craniosynostosis surgery
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 090 | Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included. |
| Multiple procedures | 2 | Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 2 | Paid. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.11/0.76/0.13 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 61557
Craniosynostosis 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.
Pre-op dayGlobal period
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
61557 without 51 · national facility
$1,673.05
Craniosynostosis surgery
61557-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$836.53
When this isn’t the highest-valued procedure in the session, Medicare pays 50% of its fee schedule amount (the highest is paid at 100%).
61557 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 61556Suture surgery
- This code covers multiple sutures; 61556 is the corresponding craniectomy service when the operation addresses one cranial suture.
- 61550Craniosynostosis surgery
- 61550 describes reconstruction for a single cranial suture. Select 61557 for a documented multiple-suture craniectomy, not based only on the diagnosis.
- 61552Suture release
- 61552 describes reconstruction involving multiple cranial sutures. Distinguish it from 61557 by the operative approach documented in the record.
61557 billing questions
How is this code distinguished from 61556?
61557 is for craniectomy involving multiple cranial sutures. Use 61556 when the documented operation is limited to a single cranial suture.
How does this differ from 61550 or 61552?
Those codes describe reconstruction of cranial sutures for craniosynostosis. Choose the code that matches the documented operative approach rather than treating reconstruction and craniectomy as interchangeable.
Can modifier 50 be reported?
No. The CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply, and modifier 50 is inappropriate for this service.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available. 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
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