Billing code 63252: Spinal vascular surgeryMedicare rate & RVUs in Nevada
Reports operative revision of a spinal cord vascular malformation in the thoracolumbar region, such as corrective surgery for a residual or recurrent lesion.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 63252 in Nevada.
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 63252 covers
This code describes operative revision of a vascular malformation involving the spinal cord in the thoracolumbar region. Neurosurgeons typically perform the procedure in a hospital operating room, often when further operative treatment is needed for a residual or recurrent lesion, such as a spinal cord arteriovenous malformation. The operative report should make clear that the target is a spinal cord vascular malformation and describe the revision work and anatomic level.
Select this code for the thoracolumbar region, rather than the cervical or thoracic options in the same revision family. Medicare treats it as major surgery: the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included. If multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is 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.
63252 in Nevada**
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Nevada** | Unavailable | $2,802.24 |
How the 63252 rate is calculated
Each of 63252’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 · 63252
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 43.51Practice expense 25.06Malpractice 18.37
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 63252
63252 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 63252
Spinal vascular surgery
| 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) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| 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 · 63252
Spinal vascular surgery
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
63252 without 51 · national facility
$2,903.87
Spinal vascular surgery
63252-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$1,451.94
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%).
63252 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
63252 vs 63251 vs 63287 vs 63266: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 63251Spinal vascular surgery
- Use 63251 for revision of a spinal cord vascular malformation at the thoracic level; use 63252 for the thoracolumbar region.
- 63287Spinal lesion surgery
- This code concerns biopsy or excision of a thoracolumbar intradural intramedullary lesion. Choose 63252 when the operative target is revision of a spinal cord vascular malformation.
- 63266Spinal lesion excision
- This code concerns excision of a thoracic extradural intraspinal lesion. It is not the code for revising a spinal cord vascular malformation.
63252 billing questions
How is 63252 distinguished from 63251?
63252 is for revision in the thoracolumbar region; 63251 is the thoracic-level sibling. The operative report should identify the treated region.
What documentation supports reporting a revision?
Document the spinal cord vascular malformation, its anatomic level, and the operative work performed to revise it. The note should distinguish this work from biopsy or excision of a different type of spinal lesion.
Is modifier 50 appropriate for bilateral work?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code.
Are related postoperative visits included?
Yes. The major-surgery global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
How are other procedures paid when performed in the same session?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures subject to the standard multiple procedure reduction are paid at 50%.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
An assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; 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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