Billing code 67715: CanthotomyMedicare rate & RVUs in Illinois
Canthotomy opens the eyelid corner, typically to relieve acute orbital pressure, such as pressure associated with retrobulbar bleeding after trauma.
Medicare pays $258.18–$285.62 for 67715 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 67715 covers
A canthotomy is an incision at the corner of the eyelids, usually the outer corner, to release constriction and allow urgent orbital decompression. It is most often performed for acute orbital pressure, including after facial or eye trauma with retrobulbar bleeding. Ophthalmologists commonly perform it, though emergency physicians and other qualified clinicians may perform the procedure in an emergency department, operating room, or other acute-care setting.
Report 67715 when the documented service is a canthotomy, rather than an eyelid abscess incision or release of a tarsorrhaphy. The record should identify the side, clinical indication, and procedure performed. The 10-day global period includes related postoperative visits during that period. For bilateral work, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. 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 50% reduction. Assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted; 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 67715 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
$258.18 to $285.62
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $283.77 | $110.56 |
| East St. Louis | $262.48 | $103.92 |
| Rest Of Illinois | $258.18 | $100.83 |
| Suburban Chicago | $285.62 | $108.62 |
How the 67715 rate is calculated
Each of 67715’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 · 67715
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work1.24
1.24 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense6.80
6.80 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.18
0.18 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
8.2200
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$274.56
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 67715
67715 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 67715
Canthotomy
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 010 | Minor procedure: the day of the procedure plus 10 days after are included. |
| Multiple procedures | 2 | Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 1 | Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount. |
| 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. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.10/0.80/0.10 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 67715
Canthotomy
10-day global period ends
Oct 11, 2026
Covers Oct 1, 2026 through Oct 11, 2026 (11 days).
Visit on Oct 31, 2026
After the global period ends: visits and procedures are billed normally.
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
67715 without 50 · national office
$274.56
Canthotomy
67715-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$411.84
Both sides on one line with modifier 50 are paid at 150% of the fee schedule amount (subject to multiple-procedure rules with other procedures).
67715 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 67700Eyelid abscess drainage
- 67700 is for incision and drainage of an eyelid abscess. 67715 is a canthotomy, typically performed to release constriction and relieve orbital pressure.
- 67710Tarsorrhaphy release
- 67710 severs a tarsorrhaphy, a prior surgical joining of the eyelids. 67715 opens the canthal area for a different surgical purpose, commonly orbital decompression.
- 67950Canthoplasty
- 67950 is canthal reconstruction. It is selected for reconstructive repair, rather than the acute pressure-relieving incision reported with 67715.
67715 billing questions
When should 67715 be chosen instead of 67700?
Use 67715 for an incision at the canthus to release eyelid constriction, commonly for orbital decompression. Use 67700 when the procedure is incision and drainage of an eyelid abscess.
How does 67715 differ from 67710?
67715 describes a canthotomy, commonly performed to relieve orbital pressure. 67710 is used to sever a prior tarsorrhaphy when the purpose is to reopen the eyelids.
How is bilateral canthotomy reported?
Report modifier 50 for a bilateral procedure. CMS pays the bilateral service at 150%.
Are related postoperative visits separately reported during the global period?
Related postoperative visits for 10 days are included in the minor-procedure global period.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported for 67715?
Assistant-at-surgery payment is subject to a statutory restriction. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
What happens when 67715 is performed with another procedure 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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