Billing code 61526: Brain lesion removalMedicare rate & RVUs in Utah
Reports operative removal of an infratentorial brain lesion, with code selection based on the lesion and operative approach documented by the neurosurgeon.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 61526 in Utah.
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 61526 covers
A neurosurgeon uses an operative cranial approach to remove a lesion in the infratentorial portion of the brain, such as tissue in the posterior fossa. The service is generally performed in a hospital operating room and may involve removal of lesion tissue for treatment and pathologic examination. The operative report should identify the lesion, its location, and the approach and work performed.
Select this code using the complete billing code descriptor and the operative details; nearby codes distinguish procedures by factors such as lesion type, location, or approach. The report should support the specific code selected, rather than relying only on a diagnosis label. This major surgery includes 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 multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this service. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery; co-surgeons are permitted, but team surgery is not.
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.
61526 in Utah
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Utah | Unavailable | $2,930.95 |
How the 61526 rate is calculated
Each of 61526’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 · 61526
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 52.73Practice expense 22.42Malpractice 15.53
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 61526
61526 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 61526
Brain lesion 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) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 1 | Not paid (statutory restriction). |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 2 | Permitted. |
| 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 · 61526
Brain lesion 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 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
61526 without 51 · national facility
$3,028.79
Brain lesion removal
61526-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$1,514.40
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%).
61526 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
61526 vs 61518 vs 61519 vs 61520: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 61518Brain tumor excision
- This related code describes a different infratentorial tumor-excision circumstance. Compare the complete descriptors and operative report rather than choosing based on the general phrase “brain lesion.”
- 61519Meningioma removal
- This code is specific to meningioma excision. Use the code whose descriptor matches the lesion and procedure documented.
- 61520Brain lesion removal
- This related code identifies cerebellopontine angle tumor excision. The documented tumor location and operative service distinguish it from this code.
61526 billing questions
How should this code be distinguished from nearby brain-lesion removal codes?
Use the complete billing code descriptor and operative report to distinguish lesion type, anatomic location, and surgical approach. The short CMS descriptor alone does not establish the correct code among these related procedures.
Does the 90-day global period include postoperative care?
Yes. The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included in the global period.
Can modifier 50 be reported?
No. The CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply, and modifier 50 is inappropriate for this procedure.
Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be reported?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code. Co-surgeons are permitted; team surgery is not.
What happens when another procedure is performed in the same session?
Under the standard multiple-procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are paid at 50% when performed in the same session.
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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