Neurosurgery
What they do most for Medicare patients
| Service, sort | Times billed, sort |
|---|---|
| Established patient office or other outpatient visit, 30-39 minutes | 250,155 |
| Established patient office or other outpatient visit, 20-29 minutes | 234,471 |
| New patient office or other outpatient visit, 45-59 minutes | 154,799 |
| New patient office or other outpatient visit, 30-44 minutes | 72,647 |
| Fusion of additional segment of spine | 63,131 |
| Subsequent hospital care with moderate levelof medical decision making, if using time, at least 35 minutes | 61,634 |
| Established patient office or other outpatient visit, 40-54 minutes | 58,184 |
| Insertion of cage or mesh device to spine bone and disc space during spine fusion | 56,899 |
| Initial hospital care with straightforward or low-level medical decision making, if using time, at least 55 minutes | 51,908 |
| Initial hospital care with moderate level of medical decision making, if using time, at least 75 minutes | 42,397 |
| New patient office or other outpatient visit, 60-74 minutes | 41,717 |
| Established patient office or other outpatient visit, 10-19 minutes | 40,540 |
| Partial removal of spine bone with release of spinal cord and/or nerves, each additional segment | 37,289 |
| Subsequent hospital care with straightforward or low level of medical decision making, per day, if using time, at least 25 minutes | 35,243 |
| Partial removal of spine bone with release of lower spinal cord and/or nerves, 1 segment | 31,383 |
| Subsequent hospital care with moderate levelof medical decision making, if using time, at least 50 minutes | 30,139 |
| Placement of stabilizing device to back, 3-6 spine bone segments | 19,439 |
| X-ray of lower and sacral spine, 2-3 views | 17,789 |
| X-ray of lower and sacral spine, minimum of 4 views | 17,709 |
| Initial hospital care with straightforward or low level of medical decision making, per day, if using time, at least 40 minutes | 17,515 |
| Critical care, first 30-74 minutes | 14,400 |
| Computer-assisted spinal procedure | 13,871 |
| Fusion of spine in lower back with partial removal of spine bone and disc | 11,999 |
| Partial removal of bone of single segment of spine in lower back with release of spinal cord and/or nerves during fusion of spine in lower back | 10,056 |
| Therapy procedure using exercise to develop strength, endurance, range of motion, and flexibility, each 15 minutes | 9,605 |
| Fusion of spine in lower back | 9,457 |
| Insertion of tube into internal neck artery for diagnosis or treatment with review by radiologist | 9,271 |
| Placement of stabilizing device to back of 1 spine bone in neck | 8,877 |
| X-ray of upper spine, 2-3 views | 8,867 |
| Fusion of upper spine bone with removal of disc and release of spinal cord or nerve, 1 disc | 8,580 |
| Insertion of tube into brain artery for diagnosis or treatment with review by radiologist | 8,252 |
| Computer-assisted procedure inside brain | 7,665 |
| X-ray of upper spine, 4-5 views | 7,640 |
| Mri scan of lower spinal canal without contrast | 7,610 |
| Ultrasonic guidance for blood vessel access | 7,013 |
| Placement of stabilizing device to front, 2-3 spine bone segments | 5,809 |
| Telephone medical discussion with physician, 11-20 minutes | 5,369 |
| Fusion of upper spine bone with removal of disc and release of spinal cord or nerve, each additional disc | 5,237 |
| New patient office or other outpatient visit, 15-29 minutes | 5,142 |
| Imaging of blood vessel | 5,061 |
| Use of a drug to induce depression of consciousness by physician performing a procedure (5 years or older), initial 15 minutes | 5,016 |
| Telephone medical discussion with physician, 5-10 minutes | 4,889 |
| Insertion of tube into intracranial artery for diagnosis or treatment with review by radiologist | 4,652 |
| Needle measurement of electrical activity in arm or leg muscles, complete study | 4,457 |
| X-ray of entire middle and lower spine, 2-3 views | 4,416 |
| Use of operating microscope | 4,079 |
| Insertion of tube into external neck artery for diagnosis or treatment with review by radiologist | 3,939 |
| Computer-assisted radiosurgery of simple growth of brain, each additional growth | 3,917 |
| 3d radiographic procedure with computerized image postprocessing | 3,821 |
| Occlusion of central nervous system or spinal cord artery | 3,820 |
| Fusion of lower spine bone through abdomen with partial removal of disc | 3,732 |
| Insertion of spinal neurostimulator generator or receiver | 3,691 |
| Review by radiologist of image for insertion of material to block blood flow | 3,647 |
| Mri scan of upper spinal canal without contrast | 3,476 |
| Injection of anesthetic agent and/or steroid into thigh nerve (femoral nerve) | 3,421 |
| Injection of anesthetic agent and/or steroid into lower back and leg nerve (sciatic nerve) | 3,421 |
| Aspiration of bone marrow for spine bone graft | 3,358 |
| Partial removal of bone of additional segment of spine in lower back with release of spinal cord and/or nerves during fusion of spine in lower back | 3,223 |
| Injection of substance into lower spine canal using imaging guidance | 3,223 |
| Computer-assisted radiosurgery of simple growth of brain, first growth | 3,190 |
| Telephone medical discussion with physician, 21-30 minutes | 2,990 |
| Fusion of additional segment of spine with partial removal of spine bone and disc | 2,983 |
| Injection of lower or sacral spine facet joint using imaging guidance, single level | 2,892 |
| Insertion of brain neurostimulator pulse device with connection to 2 or more electrode arrays | 2,859 |
| Assessment of emotional or behavioral problems | 2,842 |
| Therapy procedure using manual technique, each 15 minutes | 2,819 |
| Incision or removal of spine bone segment, each additional segment | 2,686 |
| Subsequent nursing facility care with moderate level of medical decision making, per day, if using time, at least 30 minutes | 2,604 |
| Graft of donor bone to spine | 2,552 |
| Fusion of spine in neck by posterior approach | 2,528 |
| Testing for presence of drug, by chemistry analyzers | 2,432 |
| Computer-assisted radiosurgery application of headframe | 2,424 |
| Removal of blood clot and injection to dissolve blood clot from head artery using fluoroscopic guidance | 2,387 |
| Injection of anesthetic and/or steroid drug into sacral spine nerve root using imaging guidance, single level | 2,307 |
| Imaging guidance for procedure, 60 minutes or less | 2,212 |
| Insertion of spinal neurostimulator electrode array through skin | 2,125 |
| Ct scan head or brain without contrast | 2,119 |
| Removal of skin and tissue, 20.0 sq cm or less | 2,110 |
| Injection of lower or sacral spine facet joint using imaging guidance, second level | 2,094 |
| Partial removal of spine bone with release of lower spinal cord or nerves and/or removal of disc | 2,084 |
| X-ray of middle spine, 2 views | 2,083 |
| Fusion of spine bones through front of body with partial removal of disc, each additional disc | 1,952 |
| Removal of skull bone for removal of growth of upper brain | 1,902 |
| Injection of anesthetic or steroid into joint between lower spine and hip bone using imaging guidance | 1,796 |
| Ct scan of lower spine without contrast | 1,779 |
| Mri scan of brain before and after contrast | 1,622 |
| Insertion of tube into chest artery for diagnosis or treatment with review by radiologist | 1,584 |
| Placement of stabilizing device to back, 7-12 spine bone segments | 1,580 |
| Incision or removal of lower spine bone segment | 1,578 |
| Reprogramming of cerebrospinal fluid shunt | 1,554 |
| Prolonged office or other outpatient evaluation and management service(s) beyond the maximum required time of the primary procedure which has been selected using total time on the date of the primary service; each additional 15 minutes by the physician or | 1,532 |
| X-ray lower and sacral spine, 2-3 views bending views | 1,525 |
| Removal of spine bone for insertion of neurostimulator electrode plate in spine | 1,501 |
| Emergency department visit with moderate level of medical decision making | 1,485 |
| Fusion of lower spine bone and partial removal of spine bone or disc through back, 1 disc | 1,477 |
| X-ray lower and sacral spine, minimum of 6 views | 1,453 |
| Physician or allowed practitioner certification for medicare-covered home health services under a home health plan of care (patient not present), including contacts with home health agency and review of reports of patient status required by physicians and | 1,430 |
| Ultrasound of both sides of head and neck blood flow | 1,430 |
| Harvest of bone fragment for spine bone graft | 1,395 |
| Insertion of brain neurostimulator pulse device with connection to single electrode array | 1,386 |
Sources: Medicare Care Compare (hospitals and schools; Medicare-enrolled clinicians), CMS Medicare Physician & Other Practitioners 2023 (services), Medicare Part D Prescribers 2024 (drugs).