CPT code 62267: Disc aspiration2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Georgia
Reports percutaneous sampling of lumbar intervertebral disc material for diagnostic evaluation, such as investigating suspected disc infection.
Medicare pays $244.78–$263.77 for 62267 in the office in Georgia, from Rest Of Georgia to Atlanta. Which amount applies depends on the service address.
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 62267 covers
A physician obtains material from a lumbar intervertebral disc by percutaneous needle access for diagnostic testing. Interventional radiologists, neuroradiologists, and spine specialists may perform the procedure, commonly when imaging and clinical findings raise concern for disc-space infection and a specimen is needed for laboratory analysis. The aspirate may be submitted for culture and other indicated testing. This is sampling of the disc itself, not a lumbar puncture to collect cerebrospinal fluid or a procedure to decompress a herniated disc.
Report the service when the documented procedure is diagnostic aspiration of lumbar disc material. The record should identify the indication, level or levels treated, needle approach, and specimen obtained. The code covers single or multiple lumbar levels; document the levels rather than reporting a separate unit for each level. It has a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When other procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and additional procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity; co-surgeons and team surgery are 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 62267 pays more and less in Georgia
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | $263.77 | $137.87 |
| Rest Of Georgia | $244.78 | $134.24 |
How the 62267 rate is calculated
Each of 62267’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 · 62267
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work2.93
2.93 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense4.49
4.49 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.33
0.33 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
7.7500
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$258.86
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 62267
The CMS indicators that decide how 62267 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 62267
Disc aspiration
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 000 | Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is 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) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
62267 without 51 · national office
$258.86
Disc aspiration
62267-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$129.43
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%).
62267 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 62287Disc decompression
- Choose 62267 for diagnostic aspiration of lumbar disc material. Choose 62287 for percutaneous decompression of lumbar disc material as treatment.
- 62290Discography
- 62290 describes lumbar discography using contrast injection for diagnostic imaging; 62267 describes aspiration to obtain disc material.
- 62291Discography
- 62291 is discography for cervical or thoracic levels. 62267 is diagnostic aspiration of lumbar disc material.
62267 billing questions
How is this different from lumbar discography?
This code is for obtaining disc material by aspiration for diagnostic testing. Lumbar discography injects contrast into a disc as part of a diagnostic imaging evaluation.
How is this different from percutaneous disc decompression?
Aspiration is reported for diagnostic sampling. Use the decompression code when the procedure reduces disc material to treat a symptomatic lumbar disc condition.
Can multiple lumbar levels be reported as separate units?
The code covers one or multiple lumbar levels. Document each level treated; do not bill a separate unit for each level.
What documentation supports reporting the service?
Document the diagnostic reason for sampling, the lumbar level or levels accessed, the percutaneous aspiration performed, and the specimen obtained for testing.
Is same-day postoperative care separately included?
No. The code has a 0-day global period, and same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment is allowed only when medical necessity is documented. Co-surgeon and team-surgery billing are 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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