Billing code 62180: Brain shuntMedicare rate & RVUs in Washington
Neurosurgeons report this procedure when they create a drainage shunt from an intracranial cavity or fluid space to an extracranial destination.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 62180 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 62180 covers
A neurosurgeon creates a new drainage route from an intracranial cavity or fluid space to an extracranial site. The operation may address a subdural or subarachnoid fluid collection or an intracranial cyst requiring diversion; the destination may be peritoneal, pleural, or another extracranial site. It is generally performed in an operating room, with the operative report identifying the source space, destination, and shunt created.
Report the code that matches the specific procedure documented, distinguishing it from sibling shunt codes by the full descriptor and operative details. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. An assistant at surgery may be paid; 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.
Where 62180 pays more and less in Washington
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Rest Of Washington | Unavailable | $1,536.28 |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | Unavailable | $1,672.62 |
How the 62180 rate is calculated
Each of 62180’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 · 62180
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work22.02
22.02 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense15.79
15.79 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice9.28
9.28 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
47.0900
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$1,572.85
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 62180
62180 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 62180
Brain shunt
| 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) | 2 | Paid. |
| 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 · 62180
Brain shunt
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
62180 without 51 · national facility
$1,572.85
Brain shunt
62180-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$786.43
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%).
62180 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 62190CSF shunt
- Both codes concern intracranial cavity shunting, but the abbreviated descriptors are not enough to distinguish them. Match the full descriptor to the documented anatomy and operative method.
- 62192CSF shunt
- This is another related shunt code. Use the complete descriptor and operative report to determine which code represents the specific procedure performed.
- 62223CSF shunt creation
- This code is for shunt creation originating from a cerebral ventricle. 62180 concerns an intracranial cavity or fluid space rather than ventricular diversion.
- 62194Shunt catheter service
- 62194 concerns replacement or irrigation of a shunt catheter; 62180 represents creation of a shunt, not catheter maintenance.
62180 billing questions
How do I distinguish 62180 from 62190 or 62192?
These are related intracranial shunt codes with similar abbreviated descriptors. Compare the full code descriptors with the operative approach and anatomy documented; the abbreviated CMS labels alone do not establish which code applies.
Is modifier 50 appropriate for 62180?
No. The CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply, and modifier 50 is inappropriate for this procedure.
Can an assistant surgeon report services for this operation?
CMS indicates that assistant-at-surgery services may be paid. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted for this code.
How does the 90-day global period affect postoperative billing?
The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included in the global period. The surgeon should not separately report routine related care during that period.
What happens when another procedure is performed in the same session?
Under the standard multiple-procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are paid at 50% when performed in the same session.
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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