Billing code 63102: Vertebral resectionMedicare rate & RVUs in Florida
Reports lumbar vertebral-body resection through a lateral extracavitary approach to decompress the spinal cord, cauda equina, or nerve roots.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 63102 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 63102 covers
Code 63102 represents lumbar vertebral-body resection performed through a lateral extracavitary approach to relieve compression of the spinal cord, cauda equina, or nerve roots. A spine surgeon removes part or all of a lumbar vertebral body for neural decompression. The operation is typically performed in an operating room, often in a hospital facility, for pathology requiring direct bony decompression. It is distinct from a routine lumbar laminectomy and from vertebral-body resection performed through an anterior approach.
Report one unit for the single lumbar segment treated. The operative report should identify the lumbar level, lateral extracavitary route, extent of vertebral-body removal, and neural structure being decompressed. For an additional segment treated through the same approach, report add-on code 63103. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. In a same-session multiple-procedure claim, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. An assistant may be paid; 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 63102 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 | $2,494.85 |
| Miami | Unavailable | $2,792.21 |
| Rest Of Florida | Unavailable | $2,338.48 |
How the 63102 rate is calculated
Each of 63102’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 · 63102
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 33.25Practice expense 20.28Malpractice 11.56
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 63102
63102 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 63102
Vertebral resection
| 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 · 63102
Vertebral resection
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
63102 without 51 · national facility
$2,174.06
Vertebral resection
63102-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$1,087.03
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%).
63102 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
63102 vs 63087 vs 63101 vs 63103: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 63087Vertebral body removal
- Choose 63102 for the lateral extracavitary approach; 63087 describes lumbar vertebral-body resection through an anterior approach.
- 63101Vertebral resection
- 63101 is the thoracic counterpart. 63102 applies when the treated vertebral segment is lumbar.
- 63103Vertebral body removal
- 63102 covers the first lumbar segment; 63103 is used for an additional segment treated through the same approach.
63102 billing questions
How does 63102 differ from 63087?
Both describe lumbar vertebral-body resection for neural decompression, but 63102 is for the lateral extracavitary approach; 63087 describes an anterior approach.
When is 63103 reported with 63102?
Report 63103 for an additional vertebral segment treated through the lateral extracavitary approach. It is an add-on code, not a substitute for 63102 at the first segment.
What documentation supports 63102?
The operative report should show the lumbar level, lateral extracavitary approach, vertebral-body removal, and the neural structure decompressed.
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?
An assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted.
How are other procedures in the same session paid?
Under the standard multiple-procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are paid 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 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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