Billing code 64755: Vagal nerve surgeryMedicare rate & RVUs in Washington
Reports surgical transection of vagal nerve branches within the abdomen, such as during an operation directed at gastric vagal innervation.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 64755 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 64755 covers
This procedure involves surgically dividing vagal nerve tissue within the abdomen, including branches serving the stomach. A surgeon typically performs it in an operating room as part of an abdominal operation; vagotomy has historically been used in treatment of peptic ulcer disease. The operative report should identify the nerve branches and anatomic level treated, the reason for the procedure, and any accompanying gastric operation.
Report the code when the documented work is intra-abdominal vagal nerve transection, rather than a cervical vagal procedure or a different nerve operation. The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included in the major-surgery global period. 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. An assistant at surgery may be paid; 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 64755 pays more and less in Washington
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Rest Of Washington | Unavailable | $858.38 |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | Unavailable | $927.19 |
How the 64755 rate is calculated
Each of 64755’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 · 64755
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 14.67Practice expense 7.46Malpractice 3.92
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 64755
64755 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 64755
Vagal nerve surgery
| 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) | 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 · 64755
Vagal nerve surgery
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
64755 without 51 · national facility
$870.09
Vagal nerve surgery
64755-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$435.05
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%).
64755 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
64755 vs 64760 vs 43635 vs 43640: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 64760Vagus nerve surgery
- Choose 64755 for intra-abdominal vagal nerve transection; 64760 identifies the cervical site.
- 43635Partial gastrectomy
- 43635 describes a vagotomy performed with a drainage procedure. Distinguish it from reporting focused intra-abdominal nerve transection based on the documented operation.
- 43640Vagotomy
- 43640 describes vagotomy without a drainage procedure. Use the documented operative service to distinguish it from intra-abdominal nerve transection.
64755 billing questions
How does this differ from 64760?
64755 concerns vagal nerve transection within the abdomen. 64760 is the cervical vagal nerve procedure, so the documented operative site distinguishes them.
What documentation supports reporting 64755?
Document the intra-abdominal nerve branches divided, the operative site, the indication, and any associated procedure. The record should make clear that the nerve work was abdominal rather than cervical.
How is it paid when performed with another procedure?
For procedures performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction.
Is postoperative care included?
Yes. The major-surgery global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be allowed. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; team surgery is not permitted.
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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