Add-on for each additional thoracic interspace treated with anterior discectomy and decompression, reported with the primary single-interspace anterior thoracic discectomy code.
- Medicare
- $188.72
- Work RVU
- 3.2
- Global, days
- Region
- Spine
Documentation requirements
What must appear in the operative or office note to support the claim.
Source · Editorial brief grounded in 3 cited references ↓
- Each additional thoracic interspace named
- Disc removal and decompression at each added level
- Same anterior approach as the primary
- Imaging and exam support for each level
- Primary 63077 documented in the same session
Applicable modifiers
Modifiers commonly billed with this code.
Source · AMA CPT modifier descriptors · CMS NCCI Policy Manual
What this code covers
Source · Editorial summary grounded in 3 cited references ↓
63078 adds each additional thoracic interspace to an anterior thoracic discectomy reported with 63077. It is an add-on with no separate global period and is only billed with 63077 by the same surgeon on the same date.
Count interspaces from the op note, not the schedule. Two adjacent thoracic discs removed through one anterior exposure equal 63077 plus one unit of 63078. If the second level is reached by a posterior route, it belongs on a different code family.
If the case was done as co-surgery, both surgeons append modifier 62 to 63078 the same way they did on 63077, and both op notes should mention the added level. Do not use modifier 51. If the primary code is denied, this one follows it. Fusion and instrumentation at the added levels are separate codes, not part of 63078.
RVU & reimbursement
Component RVUs and Medicare national rate. Actual payment varies by GPCI locality.
Source · CMS Physician Fee Schedule, RVU26A · January 2026
Work RVU vs. total RVU
The work RVU (3.2) is the surgeon's own effort — the figure physician pay and productivity targets are built on. The total RVU (5.65) adds practice overhead and malpractice, and is what drives the Medicare payment below.
| Work RVU | 3.2 |
| Practice expense RVU | 1.12 |
| Malpractice RVU | 1.33 |
| Total RVU | 5.65 |
| Medicare national rate | $188.72 |
| Global period | days |
Payment by site of service
Medicare pays different rates by setting. HOPD typically pays substantially more than ASC for the same procedure.
Source · CMS OPPS Addendum B·ASC HCPCS payment rates·2026
| Setting | Medicare rate (national) |
|---|---|
Office (PFS non-facility) Procedure performed in physician's office | $188.72 |
Common denial reasons
The recurring reasons claims for CPT 63078 get rejected.
Source · Editorial brief grounded in CMS NCCI edits, AAOS coding appeals, and cited references ↓
- Billed without 63077
- Primary 63077 denied
- Modifier 51 appended
- Co-surgery modifier mismatch between primary and add-on
- Units exceed interspaces in the op note
- Added level reached by a posterior approach
Frequently asked questions
Source · Generated from the editorial pipeline, verified against 3 cited references ↓
01What is CPT 63078?
02Can 63078 be billed alone?
03Do co-surgeons use modifier 62 on 63078?
Sources & references
Editorial content was developed using the following public sources.
Mira Scribe
Mira Scribe's notes tie each thoracic level to exam and imaging findings, so every added interspace on the claim has its own medical necessity.
See how Mira captures CPT 63078 documentation