Billing code 63746: Shunt removalMedicare rate & RVUs in Utah
Reports operative removal of an implanted spinal cerebrospinal-fluid shunt when the device is taken out, rather than revised or newly placed.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 63746 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 63746 covers
Code 63746 represents operative removal of an implanted shunt that diverts cerebrospinal fluid from the spinal space. A neurosurgeon or other surgeon with relevant expertise typically performs the procedure in an operating room, accessing the implanted catheter and removing the shunt hardware. Removal may be indicated when the device is no longer needed or must be taken out; correcting or replacing an existing shunt points instead toward a revision service.
Report this code when the operative note identifies the spinal shunt and documents its removal, not for placement or revision alone. CMS assigns a 90-day major-surgery global period: the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included. When 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. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity; 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.
63746 in Utah
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Utah | Unavailable | $614.81 |
How the 63746 rate is calculated
Each of 63746’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 · 63746
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 7.15Practice expense 9.10Malpractice 3.01
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 63746
63746 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 63746
Shunt 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) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| 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) | 0.11/0.76/0.13 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 63746
Shunt 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
63746 without 51 · national facility
$643.30
Shunt removal
63746-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$321.65
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%).
63746 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
63746 vs 63744 vs 63740 vs 63741: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 63744Spinal shunt revision
- Choose 63746 when the shunt is taken out. Choose 63744 when the surgeon revises or replaces the existing shunt.
- 63740Spinal shunt
- 63740 describes spinal shunt installation; 63746 describes removal of an implanted spinal shunt.
- 63741Spinal shunt
- 63741 is an installation service, whereas 63746 is reported for operative removal of the existing spinal shunt.
63746 billing questions
How does 63746 differ from 63744?
Use 63746 when the spinal shunt is removed. Use 63744 when the surgeon revises or replaces an existing shunt rather than simply taking it out.
Does the 90-day global include postoperative visits?
Yes. The CMS global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
Can modifier 50 be reported?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code.
When is an assistant at surgery payable?
CMS payment for an assistant at surgery requires documentation of medical necessity.
How are other same-session procedures paid?
Under the standard multiple procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the other procedures are paid at 50%.
Can co-surgeons or a surgical team be reported?
CMS does not permit co-surgeon or team-surgery payment for this code.
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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