Billing code 61316: Bone flap storageMedicare rate & RVUs in Iowa
Reports placement of a cranial bone flap beneath the skin during cranial surgery so it can be preserved for possible later reconstruction.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 61316 in Iowa.
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 61316 covers
During cranial surgery, the neurosurgeon places a removed bone flap in a subcutaneous pocket, commonly in the abdomen, to preserve it for possible later cranioplasty. This is a separate storage step during the operation, not the later reconstruction of the skull. It may accompany a decompressive craniectomy when the flap cannot be replaced immediately.
Report 61316 only with a primary procedure. The operative note should identify the cranial bone flap, document its subcutaneous placement, and support that this step occurred during the same operative session as the primary cranial surgery. Do not report it for a flap that was removed but not placed subcutaneously, or for later replacement of a stored flap. CMS pays this add-on within the primary procedure's global period; it is not a standalone 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.
61316 in Iowa
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Iowa | Unavailable | $67.21 |
How the 61316 rate is calculated
Each of 61316’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 · 61316
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work1.36
1.36 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense0.47
0.47 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.56
0.56 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
2.3900
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$79.83
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 61316
The CMS indicators that decide how 61316 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 61316
Bone flap storage
| 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. |
61316 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 61322Cranial decompression
- 61322 reports the supratentorial decompressive craniectomy without lobectomy. Report 61316 as an add-on only when the removed flap is also placed subcutaneously.
- 61323Cranial decompression
- 61323 describes supratentorial decompression with lobectomy. It is a primary operation; 61316 separately reports subcutaneous placement of the removed cranial flap.
- 62143Skull reconstruction
- 62143 concerns replacement of a bone flap or prosthetic plate. 61316 describes placing a flap beneath the skin for possible later reconstruction, not replacing it.
61316 billing questions
Can 61316 be reported by itself?
No. It is an add-on code and must be billed with a primary procedure from the same operative session.
How is bone-flap storage different from cranioplasty?
61316 reports placing the removed flap beneath the skin for possible later use. Cranioplasty codes describe reconstruction or replacement of the skull defect, generally at a later operation.
What documentation supports 61316?
The operative report should identify the removed cranial flap and describe its placement in a subcutaneous pocket during the primary surgery.
How many units are reported when one flap is stored?
Report the service for the documented placement of the cranial bone flap; the operative note should make clear what was placed and where.
How does the global period affect payment?
CMS pays 61316 within the global period of the primary procedure with which it is billed.
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
Fee sheets
Put 61316 and the rest of your codes on one sheet
Build a fee sheet from your own code list at your locality, put your payer contracts beside Medicare, and see what changed each quarter.
Build my fee sheetOr price your code list free →