Billing code 22515: Vertebral augmentationMedicare rate & RVUs in Washington
Reports each additional thoracic or lumbar vertebral body treated with percutaneous mechanical vertebral augmentation beyond the initial treated body.
Medicare pays $3,122.59–$3,619.75 for 22515 in the office in Washington, from Rest Of Washington to Seattle (King Cnty). 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 22515 covers
This add-on represents percutaneous stabilization of another thoracic or lumbar vertebral body, typically by creating a cavity with a mechanical device and filling it with bone cement. It is used for conditions such as painful vertebral compression fractures. Interventional radiologists, spine surgeons, and other physicians trained in vertebral augmentation may perform the procedure in a hospital or outpatient setting, using imaging to guide treatment.
Report one unit for each additional vertebral body treated beyond the first: pair it with 22513 for a thoracic primary level or 22514 for a lumbar primary level. The procedure note should identify each treated vertebral body and support that augmentation was performed at each additional level. CMS classifies 22515 as an add-on code, so it is billed only with a primary procedure and paid within that 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 22515 pays more and less in Washington
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Rest Of Washington | $3,122.59 | $186.15 |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | $3,619.75 | $198.09 |
How the 22515 rate is calculated
Each of 22515’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 · 22515
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work3.90
3.90 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense84.46
84.46 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.79
0.79 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
89.1500
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$2,977.69
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 22515
The CMS indicators that decide how 22515 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 22515
Vertebral augmentation
| 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) | 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. |
22515 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 22512Vertebroplasty
- Use 22515 for additional bodies treated with mechanical vertebral augmentation. Use 22512 for additional bodies treated by vertebroplasty.
- 22513Vertebral augmentation
- 22513 reports the initial thoracic body treated with vertebral augmentation. Add 22515 for each additional thoracic or lumbar body treated.
- 22514Vertebral augmentation
- 22514 reports the initial lumbar body treated with vertebral augmentation. Add 22515 for each additional thoracic or lumbar body treated.
22515 billing questions
Which primary code is reported with 22515?
Pair it with 22513 when the initial treated body is thoracic or 22514 when it is lumbar. Code 22515 represents each additional thoracic or lumbar body treated.
How many units should be reported?
Report one unit for each additional vertebral body treated beyond the initial body. The documentation should identify the individual levels treated.
How is 22515 different from 22512?
22515 adds a body treated with mechanical vertebral augmentation, such as kyphoplasty. 22512 is the add-on for additional vertebral bodies treated with vertebroplasty.
Can 22515 be billed by itself?
No. It is an add-on code and must be reported with an eligible primary procedure, such as 22513 or 22514.
Is imaging guidance separately reported with 22515?
Imaging guidance associated with the vertebral augmentation is included in the service. 22515 reports an additional treated body, not a separate imaging service.
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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