$60.84–$66.69
Both codes concern corneal foreign body removal. 65222 includes slit-lamp use; 65220 is for removal without a slit lamp.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
65222 Corneal removal Medicare reimbursement rates in Pennsylvania
Reports removal of a foreign object embedded in the cornea when the clinician uses a slit lamp to visualize and guide the procedure. Compare 65222 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Pennsylvania.
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 65222 in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania 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
$63.61–$69.11
2 of 2 localities have a supported rate.
Facility setting
$40.61–$43.04
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.
Ophthalmology procedure
About 65222: Corneal foreign body removal with slit lamp
Reports removal of a foreign object embedded in the cornea when the clinician uses a slit lamp to visualize and guide the procedure.
This service removes a foreign object lodged in the cornea, the clear front surface of the eye, using slit-lamp visualization. A common situation is a small metal fragment after grinding or machining; glass and other debris may also lodge in the cornea. An ophthalmologist or optometrist typically performs the procedure in an office or other setting where slit-lamp examination is available.
Select this code when the documented site is the cornea and slit-lamp use is part of the removal; corneal removal without a slit lamp is reported differently. The record should identify the affected eye, corneal location, foreign body, and use of the slit lamp. The 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. For bilateral treatment, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment is statutorily restricted; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 65222
- Global period
- Minor procedure with a 0-day global period: same-day preoperative and postoperative care is 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 RVU0.82 · 41%
- Practice expense (office) RVU1.14 · 57%
- Malpractice RVU0.04 · 2%
18.7K
Medicare services in 2024 · #1173 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.
65222 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Pennsylvania, from the same CMS release.
$27.09–$28.94
Use 65205 for a superficial foreign body on the conjunctiva, not one lodged in the cornea.
$36.60–$39.34
65210 concerns a foreign body embedded in the conjunctiva; 65222 concerns one lodged in the cornea.
No office rate
65235 is for an intraocular foreign body in the anterior segment, rather than an object lodged in the cornea.
Compare 65222 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
Metropolitan Philadelphia →
Office / nonfacility
$69.11
Facility
$43.04
Rest Of Pennsylvania →
Office / nonfacility
$63.61
Facility
$40.61
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65222 billing questions
How does 65222 differ from 65220?
Both describe removal of a corneal foreign body. Use 65222 when a slit lamp is used for the removal; 65220 describes corneal removal without a slit lamp.
Does the foreign body's location determine code selection?
Yes. This code is for a foreign body lodged in the cornea. A foreign body on or embedded in the conjunctiva is represented by a different code.
What documentation supports 65222?
Document the affected eye, the corneal location, the foreign body removed, and use of the slit lamp during the procedure.
How is bilateral treatment reported?
CMS identifies this as a bilateral procedure; modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Document treatment of both eyes.
Are same-day preoperative and postoperative services included?
Yes. The 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment is subject to a statutory restriction. 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.
7,30365205,,Remove foreign body from eye,A,,0.48,0.34,,0.23,,0.02,0.84,0.73,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,2,1,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,30465210,,Remove foreign body from eye,A,,0.59,0.52,,0.28,,0.03,1.14,0.90,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,2,1,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,30565220,,Remove foreign body from eye,A,,0.69,1.14,,0.35,,0.09,1.92,1.13,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,2,1,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,30665222,,Remove foreign body from eye,A,,0.82,1.14,,0.39,,0.04,2.00,1.25,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,2,1,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,30765235,,Remove foreign body from eye,A,,8.78,9.54,NA,9.54,,0.71,19.03,19.03,0,090,0.10,0.70,0.20,2,1,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,30865260,,Remove foreign body from eye,A,,12.23,11.93,NA,11.93,,0.99,25.15,25.15,0,090,0.10,0.70,0.20,2,1,2,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
7,30965265,,Remove foreign body from eye,A,,13.98,13.10,NA,13.10,,1.12,28.20,28.20,0,090,0.10,0.70,0.20,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00