Billing code 20702: Drug deliveryMedicare rate & RVUs in Virginia
Report this add-on when a surgeon manually prepares and inserts a drug-delivery device into a bone’s medullary canal during a primary procedure.
Medicare pays $142.30–$163.13 for 20702 in the office in Virginia, from Virginia to Dc + Md/Va Suburbs. 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 20702 covers
This service covers manually preparing a drug-delivery device and placing it within the medullary canal of a bone. A typical example is an antibiotic-loaded cement rod or similar locally medicated device used during surgery for bone infection or an infected orthopedic implant. The orthopedic surgeon or another surgeon performing the primary operation documents the preparation and intramedullary placement; the code is not for a device placed in soft tissue or within a joint.
Report 20702 only with a primary procedure, not as a standalone service. The operative note should identify the bone or canal treated and describe the device preparation and insertion. Distinguish intramedullary placement from a deep, subfascial device or an intra-articular device. CMS classifies this as an add-on code paid within the primary procedure’s global period.
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 20702 pays more and less in Virginia
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Dc + Md/Va Suburbs | $163.13 | $133.62 |
| Virginia | $142.30 | $117.68 |
How the 20702 rate is calculated
Each of 20702’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 · 20702
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work2.44
2.44 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense1.50
1.50 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.49
0.49 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
4.4300
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$147.97
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 20702
The CMS indicators that decide how 20702 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 20702
Drug delivery
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | ZZZ | Add-on code: falls within the primary procedure’s global period. |
| Multiple procedures | 0 | No multiple-procedure reduction. |
| 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. |
20702 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 20700Drug-delivery device
- Use 20702 when the device is placed in a bone’s medullary canal. Use 20700 for deep placement, such as subfascial placement.
- 20703Device removal
- 20702 covers manual preparation and insertion into the medullary canal; 20703 covers removal of an intramedullary drug-delivery device.
- 20704Drug device placement
- Use 20704 for a manually prepared device placed inside a joint. Use 20702 for placement within a bone’s medullary canal.
20702 billing questions
Can 20702 be reported by itself?
No. It is an add-on code and must be reported with a primary procedure.
How is 20702 different from 20700?
20702 describes insertion into a bone’s medullary canal. 20700 is for a deep, such as subfascial, drug-delivery device.
Does removal of an intramedullary device use 20702?
No. 20702 covers manual preparation and insertion. Removal of an intramedullary drug-delivery device is described by 20703.
What documentation supports 20702?
Document the device preparation, its insertion into the medullary canal, and the bone treated. The claim must also include the primary procedure.
Is a device placed inside a joint reported with 20702?
No. 20702 is for intramedullary placement; 20704 describes manual preparation and insertion of an intra-articular drug-delivery device.
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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