Billing code 61215: Drug delivery implantMedicare rate & RVUs in Washington
Reports implantation of a subcutaneous medication reservoir, pump, or continuous infusion system, including catheter placement, such as for intrathecal baclofen delivery.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 61215 in Washington.
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 61215 covers
A neurosurgeon implants a medication-delivery device beneath the skin and places its catheter to deliver medication to the intended space. A common clinical use is intrathecal baclofen therapy for severe spasticity; implanted systems may also deliver medication for other conditions. Implantation is generally performed in a hospital or other surgical facility, with the device and catheter selected for the planned delivery route and treatment.
Report 61215 for implantation of the reservoir, pump, or continuous infusion system and its catheter, rather than treating the catheter as a separate service within this code. The operative note should identify the implanted device, catheter placement, and intended medication-delivery route. The code has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are paid at 50%. Assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is 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.
Where 61215 pays more and less in Washington
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Rest Of Washington | Unavailable | $555.98 |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | Unavailable | $617.44 |
How the 61215 rate is calculated
Each of 61215’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 · 61215
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work5.70
5.70 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense8.59
8.59 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice2.40
2.40 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
16.6900
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$557.46
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 61215
61215 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 61215
Drug delivery implant
| 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) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| 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 · 61215
Drug delivery implant
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
61215 without 51 · national facility
$557.46
Drug delivery implant
61215-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$278.73
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%).
61215 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 61210Ventricular access
- Choose 61215 for an implanted medication-delivery system with catheter placement. 61210 describes burr-hole implantation of a ventricular catheter, reservoir, or specified monitoring device.
- 62350Spinal catheter
- 62350 is for implantation, revision, or repositioning of a tunneled intrathecal or epidural catheter without laminectomy; 61215 covers the subcutaneous drug-delivery system and its catheter.
- 62362Infusion pump implant
- 62362 describes implantation or replacement of a programmable drug-infusion pump. 61215 describes implantation of a subcutaneous reservoir, pump, or continuous infusion system, including catheter placement.
61215 billing questions
Does 61215 include placement of the catheter?
Yes. Catheter placement is included in this implanted reservoir, pump, or continuous infusion system service.
How is 61215 different from 61210?
61215 describes implantation of a medication-delivery system with catheter placement. 61210 concerns burr-hole implantation of a ventricular catheter or specified monitoring device.
Can an assistant surgeon be paid for 61215?
CMS lists a statutory restriction on assistant-at-surgery payment for this code.
When may co-surgeons report this procedure?
Co-surgeon payment is allowed only with supporting documentation. Team surgery is not permitted.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
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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