CPT 66720: Ciliary body destructionMedicare rate & RVUs in Oregon
Report cyclocryotherapy when an ophthalmologist freezes ciliary body tissue to reduce aqueous production, typically to manage glaucoma inadequately controlled by other treatment.
Medicare pays $468.73–$506.97 for 66720 in the office in Oregon, from Rest Of Oregon to Portland. Which amount applies depends on the service address.
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 66720 covers
An ophthalmologist uses a cryoprobe applied externally over the ciliary body to freeze targeted tissue and reduce aqueous humor production. This cyclocryotherapy procedure is used most often for glaucoma that remains difficult to control, including situations in which conventional pressure-lowering treatment has not achieved adequate control. It is generally performed as an eye surgery in an operating room or ambulatory surgery setting.
Choose this code for the cryotherapy technique, not for ciliary body treatment performed with diathermy or laser. The operative report should identify the treated eye, the ciliary body cryotherapy performed, and the clinical indication. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. For bilateral treatment reported with modifier 50, CMS pays 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.
Where 66720 pays more and less in Oregon
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Portland | $506.97 | $382.66 |
| Rest Of Oregon | $468.73 | $357.28 |
How the 66720 rate is calculated
Each of 66720’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 · 66720
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 4.63Practice expense 9.18Malpractice 0.37
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 66720
66720 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 66720
Ciliary body destruction
| 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 · 66720
Ciliary body destruction
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
66720 without 50 · national office
$473.62
Ciliary body destruction
66720-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$710.43
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).
66720 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
66720 vs 66700 vs 66710 vs 66711: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 66700Ciliary body destruction
- Use 66720 when the ciliary body is treated with a cryoprobe. Code 66700 represents diathermy treatment.
- 66710Ciliary body treatment
- 66710 is for transscleral cyclophotocoagulation using laser energy; 66720 is for cryotherapy.
- 66711Endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation
- 66711 represents endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation. Select 66720 when the documented ciliary body treatment is cyclocryotherapy.
66720 billing questions
How is 66720 different from transscleral cyclophotocoagulation?
66720 represents ciliary body destruction by freezing with a cryoprobe. Transscleral cyclophotocoagulation uses laser energy and is reported with 66710.
What should the operative note document?
Document the glaucoma indication, the cryotherapy technique, and the eye treated. The record should make clear that ciliary body tissue was treated with cryotherapy rather than diathermy or laser.
Can both eyes be reported on the same date?
For bilateral treatment, report modifier 50; CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%. The operative documentation should support treatment of both eyes.
How does the 90-day global period affect postoperative billing?
The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included in the global period.
Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be billed?
CMS does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
What happens when another procedure is performed in the same session?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple procedure reduction, with payment at 50%.
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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