CPT code 63015: Cervical decompression2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Massachusetts
Posterior cervical decompression involving laminectomy, facetectomy, and foraminotomy across more than two vertebral segments for spinal cord or nerve root compression.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 63015 in Massachusetts.
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 63015 covers
A spine surgeon performs a posterior cervical decompression by removing lamina and, as needed for the decompression, portions of facets and bone around the neural openings. The operation addresses compression of the cervical spinal cord or nerve roots, such as multilevel cervical spinal stenosis. It is performed in an operating room, generally in a hospital or other surgical facility, rather than as an office service.
Report 63015 when the documented cervical decompression spans more than two vertebral segments and includes the described operative work; the operative report should identify the levels treated and the decompression performed. The lamina, facet, and foramen work is part of this service, not a separate report of the same operative work. Medicare applies a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment and co-surgeons are permitted; team surgery is not.
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 63015 pays more and less in Massachusetts
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Boston | Unavailable | $1,541.34 |
| Rest Of Massachusetts | Unavailable | $1,428.99 |
How the 63015 rate is calculated
Each of 63015’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 · 63015
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work20.33
20.33 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense15.08
15.08 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice7.84
7.84 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
43.2500
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$1,444.59
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 63015
63015 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 63015
Cervical decompression
| 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) | 2 | Permitted. |
| 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 · 63015
Cervical decompression
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
63015 without 51 · national facility
$1,444.59
Cervical decompression
63015-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$722.30
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%).
63015 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 63001Cervical laminectomy
- 63001 describes cervical decompression without facetectomy or foraminotomy and is for one or two vertebral segments. Use 63015 when the described facet and foraminal work is performed across more than two segments.
- 63045Cervical decompression
- 63045 is the cervical laminectomy, facetectomy, and foraminotomy service for a single vertebral segment. 63015 is selected when the decompression spans more than two segments.
- 63020Cervical laminotomy
- 63020 describes a laminotomy-based cervical nerve root decompression at one interspace. 63015 describes a broader multilevel cervical decompression for more than two vertebral segments.
63015 billing questions
When is 63015 selected instead of 63045?
63015 is for cervical decompression spanning more than two vertebral segments. 63045 describes the corresponding decompression at a single vertebral segment.
Can the laminectomy, facetectomy, and foraminotomy be reported separately?
Those elements comprise the decompression represented by 63015. Do not separately report the same operative work as though it were an independent service.
Should modifier 50 be appended for bilateral decompression?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code, even when the operative work is bilateral.
How many units should be reported for several cervical levels?
Select 63015 when more than two vertebral segments are treated; do not use units to count each treated segment. The operative report should establish the levels and extent of decompression.
How does Medicare handle other procedures performed in the same session?
Under the standard multiple procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are paid at 50%.
Can an assistant or another surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment and co-surgeons are permitted for 63015. Team surgery is not permitted.
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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