CPT code 22818: Kyphectomy2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Georgia
Surgical resection of one or two vertebral segments to correct a focal kyphotic deformity, selected by the number of segments removed.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 22818 in Georgia.
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 22818 covers
Kyphectomy removes one or two vertebral segments at the apex of a kyphotic deformity to correct a sharp spinal angulation. It may be performed for severe congenital kyphosis or a prominent deformity in a patient with myelomeningocele that interferes with sitting or creates pressure over the prominence. An orthopedic spine surgeon or neurosurgeon typically performs the operation in a hospital operating room.
Choose this code by the number of vertebral segments resected, not the number fused or instrumented. The operative report should identify the resection levels and extent; use 22819 when three or more segments are removed. This major surgery has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For other procedures in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Do not use modifier 50 to represent bilateral work. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available, and co-surgeons and team surgery are 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 22818 pays more and less in Georgia
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | Unavailable | $1,972.04 |
| Rest Of Georgia | Unavailable | $1,897.67 |
How the 22818 rate is calculated
Each of 22818’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 · 22818
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work33.47
33.47 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense16.63
16.63 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice7.14
7.14 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
57.2400
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$1,911.87
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 22818
22818 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 22818
Kyphectomy
| 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) | 2 | Permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 2 | 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 · 22818
Kyphectomy
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
22818 without 51 · national facility
$1,911.87
Kyphectomy
22818-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$955.94
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%).
22818 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 22819Kyphectomy
- Use 22819 when the resection involves three or more vertebral segments; 22818 is limited to one or two.
- 22800Spinal fusion
- 22800 describes posterior fusion for spinal deformity, not resection of the kyphotic apex.
- 22802Spinal fusion
- 22802 is posterior arthrodesis for deformity across a longer fusion span; 22818 is selected by the number of segments resected.
22818 billing questions
How do I choose between 22818 and 22819?
Count the vertebral segments resected: 22818 is for one or two, while 22819 is for three or more. The count is based on the resection, not the fusion or instrumentation span.
Is this the same as posterior arthrodesis for deformity?
No. Kyphectomy reports resection of vertebral segments at the kyphotic apex; posterior arthrodesis codes describe fusion for spinal deformity.
Can spinal instrumentation be reported with 22818?
Instrumentation may accompany the resection when performed. Document the fixation construct and report the applicable instrumentation service separately when supported by the operative work and coding edits.
Should modifier 50 be appended?
No. This is a midline spinal resection, not a paired-side service, so modifier 50 is not appropriate.
What documentation supports the segment count?
The operative report should identify the vertebral levels and state how many segments were resected. Do not use the number of fused or instrumented segments as a substitute.
How does the 90-day global affect postoperative reporting?
The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included in the 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
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