Billing code 22512: VertebroplastyMedicare rate & RVUs in Illinois
Reports treatment of each additional vertebral body during percutaneous vertebroplasty, alongside the primary code for the treated spinal region.
Medicare pays $702.43–$775.12 for 22512 in the office in Illinois, from Rest Of Illinois to Suburban Chicago. 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 22512 covers
This add-on captures vertebroplasty performed on an additional vertebral body after the first body in the same session. The physician places a needle into the vertebra and injects bone cement to stabilize it, commonly for a painful compression fracture related to osteoporosis or tumor. Interventional radiologists and spine surgeons perform the procedure, usually in a hospital or ambulatory surgical setting. Vertebroplasty injects cement without the cavity-creation technique used for vertebral augmentation.
Report 22512 for each additional body treated after the appropriate primary vertebroplasty code: 22510 for the cervicothoracic region or 22511 for the lumbosacral region. The operative or procedure note should identify the vertebral levels treated and document the vertebroplasty technique. Do not report 22512 alone. CMS classifies it as an add-on code paid within the primary procedure's global period. Imaging guidance for the vertebroplasty is included in the procedure service.
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 22512 pays more and less in Illinois
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
4 payment localities
$702.43 to $775.12
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $774.81 | $213.56 |
| East St. Louis | $717.37 | $203.59 |
| Rest Of Illinois | $702.43 | $192.55 |
| Suburban Chicago | $775.12 | $201.57 |
How the 22512 rate is calculated
Each of 22512’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 · 22512
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 3.90Practice expense 17.53Malpractice 0.72
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 22512
The CMS indicators that decide how 22512 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 22512
Vertebroplasty
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | ZZZ | Add-on code: falls within the primary procedure’s global period. |
| Multiple procedures | 0 | No multiple-procedure reduction. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 1 | Not paid (statutory restriction). |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
22512 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
22512 vs 22510 vs 22511 vs 22515: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 22510Vertebroplasty
- 22510 reports the initial cervicothoracic vertebroplasty body. Use 22512 only for additional bodies treated in the session.
- 22511Vertebroplasty
- 22511 reports the initial lumbosacral vertebroplasty body. Use 22512 for each additional body, not as the primary service.
- 22515Vertebral augmentation
- 22515 reports an additional body treated with vertebral augmentation involving cavity creation; 22512 is for additional-body vertebroplasty.
22512 billing questions
Can 22512 be reported without a primary vertebroplasty code?
No. Report it only with 22510 or 22511 for the initial vertebral body treated in the applicable spinal region.
How many units of 22512 should be reported?
Report one unit for each additional vertebral body treated beyond the first body in the session.
How do I choose between 22510 and 22511 as the primary code?
Use 22510 for the cervicothoracic region and 22511 for the lumbosacral region; 22512 identifies additional treated bodies.
Is imaging guidance separately reported with 22512?
Imaging guidance for the vertebroplasty is included in the procedure service.
When is 22515 used instead of 22512?
Use 22515 for an additional body treated with vertebral augmentation involving cavity creation. Use 22512 for additional-body vertebroplasty.
What documentation supports reporting 22512?
Document the vertebral levels treated, which body was treated first, and that the additional bodies received vertebroplasty rather than vertebral augmentation.
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
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