Billing code 65800: Eye paracentesisMedicare rate & RVUs in Washington
Anterior chamber paracentesis removes aqueous humor, commonly to reduce elevated eye pressure or obtain a sample for diagnostic testing.
Medicare pays $123.81–$137.50 for 65800 in the office in Washington, from Rest Of Washington to Seattle (King Cnty). Which amount applies depends on the service address.
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 65800 covers
Code 65800 describes entry into the eye’s anterior chamber to withdraw aqueous humor. Ophthalmologists may perform it to lower elevated pressure, including in an acute pressure crisis, or to collect aqueous for diagnostic analysis. The procedure may be done in an office or facility setting and is distinct from removing vitreous or performing a more extensive glaucoma operation.
Report the code when the documented service is anterior chamber paracentesis with aqueous removal. Record the treated eye, clinical reason, procedure performed, and whether a specimen was collected. CMS assigns a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When multiple procedures are performed in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others are subject to the standard multiple procedure reduction. For bilateral services, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted; 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 65800 pays more and less in Washington
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Rest Of Washington | $123.81 | $71.75 |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | $137.50 | $76.84 |
How the 65800 rate is calculated
Each of 65800’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 · 65800
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 1.49Practice expense 2.00Malpractice 0.12
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 65800
The CMS indicators that decide how 65800 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 65800
Eye paracentesis
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 000 | Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is included. |
| Multiple procedures | 2 | Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 1 | Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 1 | Not paid (statutory restriction). |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
65800 without 50 · national office
$120.58
Eye paracentesis
65800-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$180.87
Both sides on one line with modifier 50 are paid at 150% of the fee schedule amount (subject to multiple-procedure rules with other procedures).
65800 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
65800 vs 65810 vs 65815 vs 65820: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 65810Eye drainage
- Use 65800 for anterior chamber paracentesis with aqueous removal. Consider 65810 when medication injection is also performed or the documented service fits its broader description.
- 65815Eye drainage
- 65815 involves vitreous removal through an anterior approach; 65800 is for aqueous removal from the anterior chamber.
- 65820Goniotomy
- 65820 is a goniotomy, an incision-based glaucoma procedure involving the drainage angle. It is not anterior chamber fluid removal.
65800 billing questions
How is 65800 distinguished from 65810?
65800 is for anterior chamber paracentesis with aqueous removal. Compare the documented work with 65810 when medication injection is also performed or the service otherwise fits that code’s expanded description.
Can 65800 be reported with another eye procedure on the same date?
The code identifies a separate procedure, so report it when the paracentesis is a distinct service rather than an integral part of a more extensive procedure. Apply the multiple procedure reduction when separate procedures are performed in the same session.
What documentation supports 65800?
Document anterior chamber entry and aqueous removal, the eye treated, and the indication, such as elevated pressure or diagnostic sampling. If fluid is collected, note the specimen and its disposition.
How is bilateral 65800 reported?
For procedures on both eyes, report modifier 50; CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported for this procedure?
CMS does not pay an assistant at surgery for 65800. Co-surgeons and team surgery are 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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