$79.36–$83.32
65436 includes chemical application for recurrent corneal erosion. 65435 describes epithelial removal or curettage without that treatment.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
65436 Corneal treatment Medicare reimbursement rates in Michigan
An ophthalmologist removes corneal surface epithelium and applies a chemical agent to treat recurrent corneal erosion. Compare 65436 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Michigan.
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 65436 in Michigan?
Michigan 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
$374.41–$393.05
2 of 2 localities have a supported rate.
Facility setting
$306.71–$321.49
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.
Corneal surgery
About 65436: Chemical corneal epithelial debridement
An ophthalmologist removes corneal surface epithelium and applies a chemical agent to treat recurrent corneal erosion.
An ophthalmologist removes unstable corneal surface epithelium and applies a chemical agent, such as alcohol, to treat recurrent corneal erosion. The procedure is generally performed in an eye-care office or an outpatient surgical setting. It is intended for epithelial breakdown that repeatedly recurs, rather than for collecting tissue to establish a diagnosis or destroying a discrete corneal lesion by another method.
Select this code when the documented treatment includes chemical application for recurrent erosion; routine epithelial removal or curettage without that treatment points to 65435. Record the affected eye, recurrent-erosion indication, and the epithelial removal and chemical application performed. CMS assigns a 90-day major-surgery global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care. For bilateral reporting with modifier 50, CMS pays 150%; when multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued is paid in full and others at 50%. Assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted, and co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 65436
- 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 procedure with modifier 50 is paid at 150%.
- Assistant at surgery
- Statutory restriction: assistant at surgery is not paid.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons not permitted.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU4.70 · 40%
- Practice expense (office) RVU6.66 · 57%
- Malpractice RVU0.38 · 3%
1.8K
Medicare services in 2024 · #2538 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.
65436 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Michigan, from the same CMS release.
$317.26–$333.18
65450 destroys a corneal lesion; 65436 removes epithelium and applies a chemical agent for recurrent erosion.
$136.38–$143.24
65410 is for corneal biopsy when tissue is sampled for diagnosis. 65436 is therapeutic treatment of recurrent epithelial breakdown.
Compare 65436 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
Detroit →
Office / nonfacility
$393.05
Facility
$321.49
Rest Of Michigan →
Office / nonfacility
$374.41
Facility
$306.71
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65436 billing questions
How does this differ from 65435?
Use 65436 for recurrent corneal erosion treated with epithelial removal and chemical application. Use 65435 for epithelial removal or curettage without that chemical treatment.
What documentation supports the code?
Document recurrent corneal erosion, the eye treated, epithelial removal, and application of the chemical agent. The record should make clear that the chemical treatment was part of the procedure.
Can the procedure be reported for both eyes?
Yes. CMS identifies it as bilateral with modifier 50 paid at 150%; document treatment of each eye and follow applicable claim reporting instructions.
How does the 90-day global period affect follow-up?
The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included in the global period.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be billed?
CMS restricts assistant-at-surgery payment for this procedure. Co-surgeons and team surgery are 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 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.
7,32165426,,Removal of eye lesion,A,,5.90,13.72,,6.01,,0.46,20.08,12.37,0,090,0.10,0.70,0.20,2,1,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,32265430,,Corneal smear,A,,1.43,1.92,,1.02,,0.11,3.46,2.56,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,2,1,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,32365435,,Curette/treat cornea,A,,0.90,1.53,,0.84,,0.07,2.50,1.81,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,2,1,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,32465436,,Curette/treat cornea,A,,4.70,6.66,,4.44,,0.38,11.74,9.52,0,090,0.10,0.70,0.20,2,1,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,32565450,,Treatment of corneal lesion,A,,3.38,6.38,,5.01,,0.26,10.02,8.65,0,090,0.10,0.70,0.20,2,1,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,32665600,,Revision of cornea,A,,4.10,8.81,,4.55,,0.33,13.24,8.98,0,090,0.10,0.70,0.20,2,1,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,32765710,,Corneal transplant,A,,14.09,14.21,NA,14.21,,1.13,29.43,29.43,0,090,0.10,0.70,0.20,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00