Billing code 61703: Arterial clampingMedicare rate & RVUs in Illinois
Cervical carotid artery clamping is reported for operative control of neck arterial flow during neurosurgical treatment involving the circulation to the head.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 61703 in Illinois.
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 61703 covers
This service covers a surgeon’s operative clamping of a cervical carotid artery in the neck to control arterial flow during neurosurgical treatment involving the head circulation. It is distinct from operating directly on an intracranial vessel or aneurysm. The operative report should identify the artery and neck site, describe the clamping performed, and connect it to the surgical plan.
Report the service for the documented neck-artery clamping, not merely because an intracranial vascular procedure was performed. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. An assistant at surgery 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 61703 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.
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | Unavailable | $1,691.68 |
| East St. Louis | Unavailable | $1,574.05 |
| Rest Of Illinois | Unavailable | $1,454.39 |
| Suburban Chicago | Unavailable | $1,567.40 |
How the 61703 rate is calculated
Each of 61703’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 · 61703
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 18.33Practice expense 14.40Malpractice 7.72
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 61703
61703 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 61703
Arterial clamping
| 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 · 61703
Arterial clamping
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
61703 without 51 · national facility
$1,351.07
Arterial clamping
61703-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$675.54
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%).
61703 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
61703 vs 61700 vs 61702 vs 61705: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 61700Aneurysm repair
- 61700 is for simple intracranial aneurysm repair. Use 61703 when the documented service is clamping a cervical carotid artery in the neck.
- 61702Aneurysm surgery
- 61702 concerns surgery on an intracranial vessel; 61703 identifies clamping of a neck artery.
- 61705Aneurysm surgery
- 61705 concerns revising circulation to the head. This code describes cervical carotid artery clamping, not a circulation-revision service.
61703 billing questions
How is this different from intracranial aneurysm surgery?
This code identifies clamping of a cervical carotid artery in the neck. Codes for intracranial aneurysm or vessel surgery describe operative work directed at structures inside the skull.
Should modifier 50 be reported for bilateral clamping?
No. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code; report the documented service without a bilateral adjustment.
What documentation supports reporting this service?
The operative report should identify the cervical artery and site, describe the clamping, and explain its role in the operative plan.
How does the 90-day global period affect postoperative billing?
The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included in the global period.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
An assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; team surgery is not permitted.
What happens when another procedure is performed in the same session?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction.
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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