No office rate
22869 reports the initial lumbar segment treated without decompression; 22870 reports each additional segment in that procedure.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
22870 Spinal stabilization Medicare reimbursement rates in Vermont
Reports placement of a lumbar interspinous stabilization device at each additional segment when the initial segment is treated without decompression. Compare 22870 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Vermont.
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 22870 in Vermont?
Vermont has 1 payment locality in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the payment area shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
No supported rate
Facility setting
$97.23
1 of 1 localities have a supported rate.
Payment area: Vermont
One mapped payment locality.
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.
Spine surgery
About 22870: Additional lumbar stabilization device level
Reports placement of a lumbar interspinous stabilization device at each additional segment when the initial segment is treated without decompression.
This add-on represents placement of an interspinous stabilization or distraction device at an additional lumbar segment. A spine surgeon, commonly an orthopedic spine surgeon or neurosurgeon, places the implant between adjacent spinous processes to provide stabilization or distraction. The procedure is performed without decompression at the treated level; the initial lumbar level is represented by the corresponding primary procedure. These implants are typically placed in an operating room for selected degenerative lumbar conditions.
Report one unit for each additional lumbar segment beyond the initial level, with the operative report identifying the treated levels and documenting device placement without decompression. Pair the code with the primary procedure for the initial level, typically 22869. CMS classifies 22870 as an add-on code: it is billed only with a primary procedure and paid within that procedure’s global period.
CMS billing rules for 22870
- Global period
- Add-on code: billed only together with a primary procedure and paid within that procedure's global period.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU2.28 · 75%
- Practice expense (office) RVU0.53 · 18%
- Malpractice RVU0.21 · 7%
600
Medicare services in 2024 · #3395 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.
22870 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Vermont, from the same CMS release.
No office rate
Use 22868 for each additional lumbar segment when decompression is performed. 22870 is for additional segments treated without decompression.
No office rate
22867 reports the initial lumbar segment when decompression is performed. For additional decompressed segments, the corresponding add-on is 22868, not 22870.
Compare 22870 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.
1 of 1 payment localities
Vermont →
Office / nonfacility
Unavailable
Facility
$97.23
Need rates for a whole code list?
Fee-sheet and API access are in early access. Tell us which codes and locations your team needs.
How this local rate is calculated
Each RVU component is multiplied by its own geographic practice cost index (GPCI). The three adjusted components are added, then multiplied by the conversion factor. These are the inputs used for 22870 in Vermont.
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
2,139
- Code
- 22870
- Physician work
- 2.28
- Practice expense
- 0.53
- Malpractice
- 0.21
GPCI2026.csv
105
- Locality
- Vermont
- Physician work
- 1.000
- Practice expense
- 0.990
- Malpractice
- 0.506
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 2.28 | × 1.000 | 2.2800 |
| Practice expense | 0.53 | × 0.990 | 0.5247 |
| Malpractice | 0.21 | × 0.506 | 0.1063 |
| Total RVUs | 2.9110 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Facility rate, Vermont$97.23
Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula
Facility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 2.28 | 1 |
| Practice expense | 0.53 | 0.99 |
| Malpractice | 0.21 | 0.506 |
(2.28 × 1 + 0.53 × 0.99 + 0.21 × 0.506) × $33.4009 = $97.23
The office and facility calculations use their respective practice-expense RVUs. The facility amount here is the physician fee, not a separate hospital or facility bill.
22870 billing questions
When is 22870 reported instead of 22869?
22869 represents the initial lumbar segment treated without decompression. Use 22870 for each additional lumbar segment treated in the same manner.
Can 22870 be billed by itself?
No. It is an add-on code and must be reported with the primary procedure for the initial segment, typically 22869.
How many units should be reported?
Report one unit for each additional lumbar segment beyond the initial segment. The operative documentation should identify the levels treated.
How does 22870 differ from 22868?
22870 is for an additional segment treated without decompression. 22868 is the additional-segment code for the corresponding procedure performed with decompression.
What documentation supports 22870?
Document the additional lumbar level or levels, the placement of the interspinous stabilization device, and that decompression was not performed at those levels.
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.
2,13622867,,Insj stablj dev w/dcmprn,A,,14.63,11.34,NA,11.34,,4.33,30.30,30.30,0,090,0.10,0.80,0.10,2,0,2,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,13722868,,Insj stablj dev w/dcmprn,A,,3.90,1.31,NA,1.31,,1.22,6.43,6.43,0,ZZZ,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,2,2,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,13822869,,Insj stablj dev w/o dcmprn,A,,6.85,4.32,NA,4.32,,0.66,11.83,11.83,0,090,0.10,0.80,0.10,2,0,2,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,13922870,,Insj stablj dev w/o dcmprn,A,,2.28,0.53,NA,0.53,,0.21,3.02,3.02,0,ZZZ,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,2,2,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,14022899,,Unlisted procedure spine,C,,0.00,0.00,,0.00,,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,YYY,0.00,0.00,0.00,2,0,2,1,1,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,14122900,,Exc abdl tum deep < 5 cm,A,,8.11,6.30,NA,6.30,,1.98,16.39,16.39,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,14222901,,Exc abdl tum deep 5 cm/>,A,,9.86,6.88,NA,6.88,,2.47,19.21,19.21,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
10204412,TX,18,HOUSTON,1.008,0.993,1.376
10304412,TX,99,REST OF TEXAS,1.000,0.949,0.903
10403502,UT,09,UTAH,1.000,0.940,0.898
10514512,VT,50,VERMONT,1.000,0.990,0.506
10611302,VA,00,VIRGINIA,1.000,0.983,0.706
10709202,VI,50,VIRGIN ISLANDS,1.000,1.011,0.985
10802402,WA,02,SEATTLE (KING CNTY),1.050,1.227,0.817