Neurosurgery
What they do most for Medicare patients
| Service, sort | Times billed, sort |
|---|---|
| Insertion of brain neurostimulator pulse device with connection to single electrode array | 1,386 |
| Harvest of bone fragment for spine bone graft | 1,395 |
| 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 |
| X-ray lower and sacral spine, minimum of 6 views | 1,453 |
| Fusion of lower spine bone and partial removal of spine bone or disc through back, 1 disc | 1,477 |
| Emergency department visit with moderate level of medical decision making | 1,485 |
| Removal of spine bone for insertion of neurostimulator electrode plate in spine | 1,501 |
| X-ray lower and sacral spine, 2-3 views bending views | 1,525 |
| 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 |
| Reprogramming of cerebrospinal fluid shunt | 1,554 |
| Incision or removal of lower spine bone segment | 1,578 |
| Placement of stabilizing device to back, 7-12 spine bone segments | 1,580 |
| Insertion of tube into chest artery for diagnosis or treatment with review by radiologist | 1,584 |
| Mri scan of brain before and after contrast | 1,622 |
| Ct scan of lower spine without contrast | 1,779 |
| Injection of anesthetic or steroid into joint between lower spine and hip bone using imaging guidance | 1,796 |
| Removal of skull bone for removal of growth of upper brain | 1,902 |
| Fusion of spine bones through front of body with partial removal of disc, each additional disc | 1,952 |
| X-ray of middle spine, 2 views | 2,083 |
| Partial removal of spine bone with release of lower spinal cord or nerves and/or removal of disc | 2,084 |
| Injection of lower or sacral spine facet joint using imaging guidance, second level | 2,094 |
| Removal of skin and tissue, 20.0 sq cm or less | 2,110 |
| Ct scan head or brain without contrast | 2,119 |
| Insertion of spinal neurostimulator electrode array through skin | 2,125 |
| Imaging guidance for procedure, 60 minutes or less | 2,212 |
| Injection of anesthetic and/or steroid drug into sacral spine nerve root using imaging guidance, single level | 2,307 |
| Removal of blood clot and injection to dissolve blood clot from head artery using fluoroscopic guidance | 2,387 |
| Computer-assisted radiosurgery application of headframe | 2,424 |
| Testing for presence of drug, by chemistry analyzers | 2,432 |
| Fusion of spine in neck by posterior approach | 2,528 |
| Graft of donor bone to spine | 2,552 |
| Subsequent nursing facility care with moderate level of medical decision making, per day, if using time, at least 30 minutes | 2,604 |
| Incision or removal of spine bone segment, each additional segment | 2,686 |
| Therapy procedure using manual technique, each 15 minutes | 2,819 |
| Assessment of emotional or behavioral problems | 2,842 |
| Insertion of brain neurostimulator pulse device with connection to 2 or more electrode arrays | 2,859 |
| Injection of lower or sacral spine facet joint using imaging guidance, single level | 2,892 |
| Fusion of additional segment of spine with partial removal of spine bone and disc | 2,983 |
| Telephone medical discussion with physician, 21-30 minutes | 2,990 |
| Computer-assisted radiosurgery of simple growth of brain, first growth | 3,190 |
| 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 |
| Aspiration of bone marrow for spine bone graft | 3,358 |
| 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 |
| Mri scan of upper spinal canal without contrast | 3,476 |
| Review by radiologist of image for insertion of material to block blood flow | 3,647 |
| Insertion of spinal neurostimulator generator or receiver | 3,691 |
| Fusion of lower spine bone through abdomen with partial removal of disc | 3,732 |
| Occlusion of central nervous system or spinal cord artery | 3,820 |
| 3d radiographic procedure with computerized image postprocessing | 3,821 |
| Computer-assisted radiosurgery of simple growth of brain, each additional growth | 3,917 |
| Insertion of tube into external neck artery for diagnosis or treatment with review by radiologist | 3,939 |
| Use of operating microscope | 4,079 |
| X-ray of entire middle and lower spine, 2-3 views | 4,416 |
| Needle measurement of electrical activity in arm or leg muscles, complete study | 4,457 |
| Insertion of tube into intracranial artery for diagnosis or treatment with review by radiologist | 4,652 |
| Telephone medical discussion with physician, 5-10 minutes | 4,889 |
| Use of a drug to induce depression of consciousness by physician performing a procedure (5 years or older), initial 15 minutes | 5,016 |
| Imaging of blood vessel | 5,061 |
| New patient office or other outpatient visit, 15-29 minutes | 5,142 |
| Fusion of upper spine bone with removal of disc and release of spinal cord or nerve, each additional disc | 5,237 |
| Telephone medical discussion with physician, 11-20 minutes | 5,369 |
| Placement of stabilizing device to front, 2-3 spine bone segments | 5,809 |
| Ultrasonic guidance for blood vessel access | 7,013 |
| Mri scan of lower spinal canal without contrast | 7,610 |
| X-ray of upper spine, 4-5 views | 7,640 |
| Computer-assisted procedure inside brain | 7,665 |
| Insertion of tube into brain artery for diagnosis or treatment with review by radiologist | 8,252 |
| Fusion of upper spine bone with removal of disc and release of spinal cord or nerve, 1 disc | 8,580 |
| X-ray of upper spine, 2-3 views | 8,867 |
| Placement of stabilizing device to back of 1 spine bone in neck | 8,877 |
| Insertion of tube into internal neck artery for diagnosis or treatment with review by radiologist | 9,271 |
| Fusion of spine in lower back | 9,457 |
| Therapy procedure using exercise to develop strength, endurance, range of motion, and flexibility, each 15 minutes | 9,605 |
| 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 |
| Fusion of spine in lower back with partial removal of spine bone and disc | 11,999 |
| Computer-assisted spinal procedure | 13,871 |
| Critical care, first 30-74 minutes | 14,400 |
| Initial hospital care with straightforward or low level of medical decision making, per day, if using time, at least 40 minutes | 17,515 |
| X-ray of lower and sacral spine, minimum of 4 views | 17,709 |
| X-ray of lower and sacral spine, 2-3 views | 17,789 |
| Placement of stabilizing device to back, 3-6 spine bone segments | 19,439 |
| Subsequent hospital care with moderate levelof medical decision making, if using time, at least 50 minutes | 30,139 |
| Partial removal of spine bone with release of lower spinal cord and/or nerves, 1 segment | 31,383 |
| 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 spinal cord and/or nerves, each additional segment | 37,289 |
| Established patient office or other outpatient visit, 10-19 minutes | 40,540 |
| New patient office or other outpatient visit, 60-74 minutes | 41,717 |
| Initial hospital care with moderate level of medical decision making, if using time, at least 75 minutes | 42,397 |
| Initial hospital care with straightforward or low-level medical decision making, if using time, at least 55 minutes | 51,908 |
| Insertion of cage or mesh device to spine bone and disc space during spine fusion | 56,899 |
| Established patient office or other outpatient visit, 40-54 minutes | 58,184 |
| Subsequent hospital care with moderate levelof medical decision making, if using time, at least 35 minutes | 61,634 |
| Fusion of additional segment of spine | 63,131 |
| New patient office or other outpatient visit, 30-44 minutes | 72,647 |
| New patient office or other outpatient visit, 45-59 minutes | 154,799 |
| Established patient office or other outpatient visit, 20-29 minutes | 234,471 |
| Established patient office or other outpatient visit, 30-39 minutes | 250,155 |
Sources: Medicare Care Compare (hospitals and schools; Medicare-enrolled clinicians), CMS Medicare Physician & Other Practitioners 2023 (services), Medicare Part D Prescribers 2024 (drugs).