Billing code 66635: Iris removalMedicare rate & RVUs in Nebraska
Report total iridectomy when an ophthalmic surgeon removes the iris throughout its extent rather than excising only a peripheral or sector portion.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 66635 in Nebraska.
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 66635 covers
This operation removes the iris throughout its extent through a corneal or corneoscleral surgical approach. An ophthalmic surgeon performs it in an operating room, typically in a hospital or ambulatory surgery center, when the clinical plan calls for complete iris excision rather than removal of only a localized portion. The operative report should identify the indication and document that the excision was total; a peripheral or sector iridectomy is a different extent of surgery.
Choose this code based on the extent and purpose of the iris procedure, not simply because iris tissue was removed. Document the operative approach and the tissue removed so the record supports complete excision rather than a glaucoma-related peripheral iridectomy, sector iridectomy, or lesion-focused procedure. The code has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. 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.
66635 in Nebraska
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | Unavailable | $460.99 |
How the 66635 rate is calculated
Each of 66635’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 · 66635
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work7.19
7.19 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense6.93
6.93 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.57
0.57 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
14.6900
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$490.66
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 66635
66635 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 66635
Iris removal
| 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) | 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) | 0.10/0.70/0.20 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 66635
Iris removal
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 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
66635 without 50 · national facility
$490.66
Iris removal
66635-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$735.99
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).
66635 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 66625Iridectomy
- 66625 describes a peripheral iridectomy for glaucoma. Use 66635 when the operative plan removes the iris throughout its extent.
- 66630Iris excision
- 66630 is for sector excision, limited to part of the iris; 66635 represents complete excision.
- 66600Iris surgery
- 66600 is the lesion-focused iris excision code. Choose 66635 when the documented procedure is total iris removal rather than excision centered on a lesion.
- 66680Iris repair
- 66680 describes iris or ciliary body repair. It is used when the tissue is repaired, not when the iris is completely excised.
66635 billing questions
How does this differ from a sector iridectomy?
This code is for removal throughout the iris. A sector iridectomy removes only a portion and is reported with 66630.
When is 66625 more appropriate?
Use 66625 for a peripheral iridectomy performed for glaucoma. This code describes complete iris excision.
Does the 90-day global period include postoperative care?
Yes. Related postoperative care for 90 days and the day-before preoperative visit are included in the global period.
How is bilateral surgery reported?
Report modifier 50 for a bilateral procedure. CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted for this code.
What documentation supports choosing this code?
The operative report should establish the indication and that the surgeon removed the iris throughout its extent, rather than performing a partial or lesion-focused excision.
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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