CPT code 22533 represents a lumbar spinal arthrodesis (spinal fusion) performed through a lateral approach to permanently join two or more vertebrae. This procedure is a commonly reported major spine surgery used to treat conditions such as herniated discs, spinal stenosis, degenerative instability, and traumatic injury when conservative care has failed. Nationally, lumbar arthrodesis procedures are significant drivers of surgical spine utilization and specialty surgical spending because of their complexity, resource use, and postoperative care needs.

Key payers addressed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise synthesis of the code’s clinical scope and service setting, comparisons of how major payers approach coverage and prior authorization (high-level), and benchmarks relevant to utilization and site-of-service patterns. The publication also summarizes clinical context for when a lateral lumbar fusion is performed, common procedural elements captured by the code description, and implications for billing and claims processing. Data not available in the input will be noted where applicable in detailed sections.