CPT code 62190: CSF shunt2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Illinois
Reports creation of a cerebrospinal fluid shunt from a subarachnoid or subdural space to the peritoneum, pleural cavity, or another terminus.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 62190 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 62190 covers
A neurosurgeon creates a route to divert cerebrospinal fluid from a subarachnoid or subdural space to the peritoneal cavity, pleural cavity, or another documented destination. The procedure may be considered for selected CSF collections or pressure disorders when diversion from one of these spaces is indicated. The operative report should identify the fluid space of origin and the shunt terminus; a ventricular-origin shunt is a different service.
Report 62190 for creation of this shunt, rather than catheter replacement or irrigation. Documentation should establish the indication, the origin and destination of the shunt, and the work performed. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during that period. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery; co-surgeons are paid only with 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 62190 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 | $1,168.12 |
| East St. Louis | Unavailable | $1,085.83 |
| Rest Of Illinois | Unavailable | $1,007.97 |
| Suburban Chicago | Unavailable | $1,089.41 |
How the 62190 rate is calculated
Each of 62190’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 · 62190
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work11.87
11.87 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense11.51
11.51 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice4.99
4.99 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
28.3700
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$947.58
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 62190
62190 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 62190
CSF shunt
| 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) | 1 | Not paid (statutory restriction). |
| 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 · 62190
CSF shunt
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
62190 without 51 · national facility
$947.58
CSF shunt
62190-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$473.79
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%).
62190 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 62180Brain shunt
- Use 62180 when the shunt originates in a cerebral ventricle. Use 62190 for an origin in a subarachnoid or subdural space.
- 62192CSF shunt
- Both involve a subarachnoid or subdural origin, but 62192 specifies an atrial terminus. 62190 covers a peritoneal, pleural, or other terminus.
- 62194Shunt catheter service
- 62194 addresses replacement or irrigation of a ventricular catheter; 62190 reports creation of a shunt from a subarachnoid or subdural space.
62190 billing questions
How does 62190 differ from 62180?
62190 diverts fluid from a subarachnoid or subdural space. 62180 is for a shunt originating in a cerebral ventricle.
What operative details support reporting 62190?
Document the indication, the subarachnoid or subdural origin, the destination, and that a new shunt was created. Those details distinguish this service from ventricular shunting and catheter replacement.
Can modifier 50 be used for bilateral shunt creation?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code.
Is an assistant surgeon payable?
CMS lists a statutory restriction on assistant-at-surgery payment for 62190. Co-surgeons are paid only with supporting documentation, while team surgery is not permitted.
What postoperative care is included in the global period?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during the 90 days after surgery.
What happens when another procedure is performed in the same session?
Under the standard multiple-procedure rule, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the other procedure or procedures are subject to a 50% 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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