Billing code 61550: Craniosynostosis surgeryMedicare rate & RVUs in Florida
Reports surgical release of one prematurely fused cranial suture, typically in a patient with craniosynostosis undergoing corrective surgery.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 61550 in Florida.
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 61550 covers
This procedure releases one prematurely fused cranial suture by removing a strip of bone along the affected seam. It is commonly performed on infants or children with craniosynostosis by a neurosurgeon or craniofacial surgeon in an operating room. The operative plan may address a sagittal, coronal, metopic, or lambdoid suture; the documented number of sutures treated and the actual technique guide code selection.
Report 61550 when the operation releases a single suture, rather than multiple sutures or a more extensive reconstruction. The operative report should identify the fused suture and describe the bone removal and extent of release. Medicare 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 the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple procedure reduction. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted. Modifier 50 is inappropriate.
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 61550 pays more and less in Florida
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Lauderdale | Unavailable | $1,397.91 |
| Miami | Unavailable | $1,566.19 |
| Rest Of Florida | Unavailable | $1,304.30 |
How the 61550 rate is calculated
Each of 61550’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 · 61550
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 15.20Practice expense 14.87Malpractice 6.41
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 61550
61550 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 61550
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 · 61550
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
61550 without 51 · national facility
$1,218.46
Craniosynostosis surgery
61550-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$609.23
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%).
61550 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
61550 vs 61552 vs 61556 vs 61558: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 61552Suture release
- 61550 is for release of one fused cranial suture; 61552 is for an operation involving multiple sutures.
- 61556Suture surgery
- Choose 61550 for single-suture release. Code 61556 describes a craniosynostosis operation involving a bifrontal bone flap with forehead advancement or remodeling.
- 61558Craniosynostosis surgery
- 61550 describes release of one suture; 61558 is used for a more extensive craniosynostosis reconstruction involving orbital advancement.
61550 billing questions
When should 61550 be chosen over 61552?
Use 61550 when the operation releases one fused cranial suture. Use 61552 when multiple cranial sutures are treated.
What documentation supports 61550?
The operative report should identify the fused suture and describe the craniectomy and release performed. It should make clear that the operation addressed a single suture.
Does Medicare allow modifier 50 for this procedure?
No. The CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply to 61550, and modifier 50 is inappropriate.
Are related postoperative visits included?
Yes. 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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