Billing code 62329: Therapeutic spinal punctureMedicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Report this service when a clinician drains cerebrospinal fluid through a spinal puncture for therapeutic purposes using fluoroscopic or CT guidance.
Medicare pays $255.11–$283.71 for 62329 in the office in Texas, from Beaumont to Austin. 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 62329 covers
This service involves placing a needle or catheter into the spinal canal to drain cerebrospinal fluid for treatment, with fluoroscopy or CT used to guide placement. A typical clinical use is therapeutic drainage to reduce elevated CSF pressure, such as in a patient with idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Radiologists, neurologists, and other clinicians who perform image-guided spinal procedures may provide it in a hospital or outpatient setting.
Select this code when the puncture is performed to drain CSF therapeutically and imaging guidance is used; a diagnostic CSF sample alone points to a different service. The record should identify the therapeutic reason, the drainage performed, and the imaging guidance used. The code has a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When multiple procedures are performed in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service; 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 62329 pays more and less in Texas
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
8 payment localities
$255.11 to $283.71
8 of 8 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Austin | $283.71 | $92.53 |
| Beaumont | $255.11 | $90.67 |
| Brazoria | $269.75 | $90.68 |
| Dallas | $271.71 | $91.73 |
| Fort Worth | $269.90 | $91.73 |
| Galveston | $270.70 | $91.27 |
| Houston | $277.11 | $97.67 |
| Rest Of Texas | $262.44 | $90.95 |
How the 62329 rate is calculated
Each of 62329’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 · 62329
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 1.98Practice expense 5.86Malpractice 0.35
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 62329
The CMS indicators that decide how 62329 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 62329
Therapeutic spinal puncture
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 000 | Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is 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) | 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. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
62329 without 51 · national office
$273.55
Therapeutic spinal puncture
62329-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$136.78
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%).
62329 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
62329 vs 62328 vs 62272 vs 62270: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 62328Lumbar puncture
- Use 62329 when CSF is drained for treatment; use 62328 when the puncture is diagnostic. Both include fluoroscopic or CT guidance.
- 62272Therapeutic lumbar puncture
- Use 62329 for therapeutic drainage with fluoroscopic or CT guidance. Use 62272 for therapeutic drainage without that guidance.
- 62270Lumbar puncture
- 62270 describes a diagnostic spinal puncture without imaging guidance. It is not the choice for image-guided therapeutic CSF drainage.
62329 billing questions
How does this differ from 62328?
62329 is for therapeutic CSF drainage; 62328 is for a diagnostic spinal puncture with imaging guidance. Choose based on the purpose of the puncture, not simply whether CSF is collected.
How does this differ from 62272?
Both describe therapeutic CSF drainage, but 62329 includes fluoroscopic or CT guidance. 62272 is the counterpart when the therapeutic puncture is performed without that imaging guidance.
Can imaging guidance be reported separately?
Fluoroscopic or CT guidance is part of 62329. The record should support the guidance used as part of the puncture service.
What documentation supports therapeutic rather than diagnostic intent?
Document the clinical reason for CSF drainage, the therapeutic drainage performed, and the use of fluoroscopic or CT guidance. A diagnostic workup or CSF sampling by itself does not establish therapeutic intent.
How does Medicare handle multiple procedures in the same session?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and the other procedures are paid at 50%. The service has a 0-day global period, with same-day preoperative and postoperative care included.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for 62329. 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 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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