Billing code 62355: Catheter removalMedicare rate & RVUs in Washington
Removal of a previously implanted spinal canal catheter without laminectomy, commonly performed when an intrathecal or epidural drug-delivery catheter is no longer needed.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 62355 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 62355 covers
This procedure removes a previously implanted catheter from the spinal canal without performing a laminectomy. It may be part of care for a patient with an intrathecal or epidural medication-delivery system when the catheter is no longer needed or must be removed. Neurosurgeons, anesthesiologists specializing in pain medicine, and other qualified surgeons may perform it, typically in an operating room or other surgical setting. This code describes removal of the catheter, not removal of an implanted infusion pump or reservoir.
Report the code when the operative record supports removal of the spinal catheter without laminectomy. Documentation should identify the catheter removed, the reason for removal, and the approach used, including whether a laminectomy was performed. CMS assigns a 10-day global period, so related postoperative visits during that period are included. 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 50% multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity; 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 62355 pays more and less in Washington
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Rest Of Washington | Unavailable | $282.78 |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | Unavailable | $312.43 |
How the 62355 rate is calculated
Each of 62355’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 · 62355
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work3.46
3.46 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense4.09
4.09 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.86
0.86 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
8.4100
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$280.90
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 62355
62355 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 62355
Catheter removal
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 010 | Minor procedure: the day of the procedure plus 10 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) | 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. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.10/0.80/0.10 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 62355
Catheter removal
10-day global period ends
Oct 11, 2026
Covers Oct 1, 2026 through Oct 11, 2026 (11 days).
Visit on Oct 31, 2026
After the global period ends: visits and procedures are billed normally.
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
62355 without 51 · national facility
$280.90
Catheter removal
62355-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$140.45
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%).
62355 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 62350Spinal catheter
- Use 62350 for placement, revision, or repositioning of a spinal catheter without laminectomy; use 62355 when removing the catheter.
- 62351Spinal catheter
- 62351 covers spinal catheter placement, revision, or repositioning with laminectomy. This code covers catheter removal without laminectomy.
- 62365Pump removal
- 62365 is for removal of the implanted infusion pump or reservoir, not the spinal canal catheter.
62355 billing questions
How is catheter removal different from pump removal?
This code is for removal of the spinal canal catheter. Use 62365 for removal of the implanted infusion pump or reservoir; when both are removed, document each distinct removal.
Does this code include a laminectomy?
No. This code represents catheter removal without laminectomy. The operative note should make the approach clear.
Can modifier 50 be used?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code, so modifier 50 should not be used.
Are postoperative visits separately reported during the global period?
Related postoperative visits for 10 days are included in the 10-day global period.
When is an assistant at surgery payable?
CMS allows assistant-at-surgery payment only when the record documents medical necessity. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
What happens when another procedure is performed in the same session?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction.
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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