Billing code 63103: Vertebral body removalMedicare rate & RVUs in Washington
Report this add-on for each additional thoracic or lumbar vertebral segment removed to decompress the spinal cord or nerve roots during a qualifying primary procedure.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 63103 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 63103 covers
This add-on represents removal of another vertebral body segment during an operation to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots. A spine surgeon may perform the work when decompression requires more than the initial vertebral segment, such as when treating a lesion or structural problem spanning multiple levels. The code is for the additional segment, not the first segment treated.
Report 63103 only with the applicable primary vertebral body removal procedure, such as 63101 or 63102, and document the vertebral levels treated and the additional removal performed. The record should make clear that the work extends beyond the primary segment. CMS identifies this as an add-on code: 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 63103 pays more and less in Washington
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Rest Of Washington | Unavailable | $255.01 |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | Unavailable | $272.98 |
How the 63103 rate is calculated
Each of 63103’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 · 63103
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 4.70Practice expense 1.58Malpractice 1.59
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 63103
The CMS indicators that decide how 63103 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 63103
Vertebral body removal
| 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) | 2 | Paid. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 80 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
63103 without 80 · national facility
$262.87
Vertebral body removal
63103-80 · Assistant: 16%
$42.06
A physician assistant at surgery is paid 16% of the surgeon’s fee schedule amount.
63103 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
63103 vs 63101 vs 63102 vs 63082: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 63101Vertebral resection
- 63101 represents the primary thoracic segment. 63103 represents an additional segment and is reported with a qualifying primary procedure.
- 63102Vertebral resection
- 63102 represents the primary lumbar segment. Use 63103 for additional segment work rather than treating it as the primary procedure.
- 63082Vertebral decompression
- 63082 is the additional-segment counterpart for cervical vertebral body removal; 63103 is used for the thoracic or lumbar context.
63103 billing questions
Can 63103 be reported by itself?
No. It is an add-on code and must be billed with a qualifying primary vertebral body removal procedure, such as 63101 or 63102.
When is 63103 appropriate instead of 63101 or 63102?
Use 63101 or 63102 for the primary segment, according to the applicable spinal region. Report 63103 for an additional segment removed during the same operative service.
What documentation supports an additional segment?
Document the vertebral levels involved and the additional vertebral body removal performed for decompression, in addition to the work represented by the primary code.
How does the global period affect payment?
CMS treats 63103 as an add-on paid within the primary procedure’s global period. It must accompany the primary procedure.
How many units should be reported?
Report the additional segment work performed, supported by documentation identifying each treated level. The first segment is represented by the primary procedure.
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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