No office rate
Both address brain abscess excision, but 61514 is for a supratentorial abscess; 61522 is for an infratentorial abscess.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
61522 Brain abscess removal Medicare reimbursement rates in Massachusetts
Reports craniotomy or craniectomy to excise an abscess in the infratentorial brain, such as the cerebellum or posterior fossa. Compare 61522 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Massachusetts.
Amounts below use the non-QP conversion factor for participating physicians. These are base physician payments before claim-level adjustments, not patient costs or total hospital charges.
What does Medicare pay for 61522 in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts has 2 payment localities in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the 2 payment areas shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
No supported rate
Facility setting
$2086.14–$2245.48
2 of 2 localities have a supported rate.
These are locality ranges, not averages or address-specific quotes. A facility-setting amount covers the physician service; it does not include a hospital’s separate bill. Choose a locality below to inspect its calculation, compare other payment areas, or price a percentage of Medicare.
Neurosurgery
About 61522: Infratentorial brain abscess excision
Reports craniotomy or craniectomy to excise an abscess in the infratentorial brain, such as the cerebellum or posterior fossa.
A neurosurgeon uses a craniotomy or craniectomy to reach and remove an abscess in the infratentorial portion of the brain. A cerebellar or other posterior fossa abscess is a typical clinical example. The service is performed in an operating room, generally in a hospital setting, and is distinct from removal of a tumor or meningioma.
Select this code when the operative report supports excision of an infratentorial brain abscess through the described cranial approach; document the abscess location and the work performed. CMS assigns a 90-day major-surgery global period, including 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. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 61522
- Global period
- Major surgery with a 90-day global period: the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included.
- Multiple procedures
- Standard multiple procedure reduction: the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50% when performed in the same session.
- Bilateral procedures
- Bilateral adjustment does not apply; the descriptor or anatomy makes modifier 50 inappropriate.
- Assistant at surgery
- Assistant at surgery may be paid.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons paid only with supporting documentation.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU30.75 · 48%
- Practice expense (office) RVU19.82 · 31%
- Malpractice RVU12.98 · 20%
17
Medicare services in 2024 · #6016 by national volume
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.
61522 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Massachusetts, from the same CMS release.
No office rate
61518 is used for infratentorial brain-lesion excision in a different lesion category. Choose 61522 when the operative diagnosis and work support abscess excision.
No office rate
61519 identifies infratentorial meningioma removal. 61522 is for excision of an infratentorial brain abscess.
No office rate
61524 is for infratentorial cyst excision, not abscess excision. Base selection on the lesion treated and the documented operative work.
Compare 61522 by payment locality
Find the payment area for your service address, then open its rate page for calculation inputs, release history and the percentage-of-Medicare tool. A city may cross payment-area boundaries; the ZIP lookup above helps resolve the location.
2 of 2 payment localities
Metropolitan Boston →
Office / nonfacility
Unavailable
Facility
$2245.48
Rest Of Massachusetts →
Office / nonfacility
Unavailable
Facility
$2086.14
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61522 billing questions
How does this differ from 61514?
61522 is for an infratentorial brain abscess, while 61514 is for a supratentorial brain abscess. Use the documented location of the abscess.
Is this code for stereotactic aspiration?
This code describes excision through a craniotomy or craniectomy. Do not select it solely because an abscess was treated; the operative approach and work must support excision.
Can modifier 50 be reported for abscesses on both sides?
No. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this procedure. The operative report should support the service and the treated abscess location.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; team surgery is not permitted.
What happens when another procedure is performed in the same session?
CMS pays the highest-valued procedure in full and applies the standard multiple-procedure reduction to the other procedures.
Where these rates come from
FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense, and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indices and the applicable conversion factor. Unavailable or separately priced services are labeled rather than assigned a made-up amount.
Source: RVU26D. Effective 2026-10-01 through the day before 2027-01-01.
6,78561519,,Remove brain lining lesion,A,,42.34,24.43,NA,24.43,,17.73,84.50,84.50,0,090,0.11,0.76,0.13,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
6,78661520,,Removal of brain lesion,A,,55.66,27.93,NA,27.93,,21.17,104.76,104.76,0,090,0.11,0.76,0.13,2,0,2,2,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
6,78761521,,Removal of brain lesion,A,,45.82,25.49,NA,25.49,,18.83,90.14,90.14,0,090,0.11,0.76,0.13,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
6,78861522,,Removal of brain abscess,A,,30.75,19.82,NA,19.82,,12.98,63.55,63.55,0,090,0.11,0.76,0.13,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
6,78961524,,Removal of brain lesion,A,,29.14,19.26,NA,19.26,,12.32,60.72,60.72,0,090,0.11,0.76,0.13,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
6,79061526,,Removal of brain lesion,A,,52.73,22.42,NA,22.42,,15.53,90.68,90.68,0,090,0.11,0.76,0.13,2,0,1,2,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
6,79161530,,Removal of brain lesion,A,,44.42,24.63,NA,24.63,,18.76,87.81,87.81,0,090,0.11,0.76,0.13,2,0,1,2,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00