CPT code 61797 designates an add-on stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) procedure for destruction of an additional simple intracranial lesion during the same treatment session following the primary cranial lesion. It matters nationally because SRS is a widely used, high-cost, high-complexity treatment modality for brain lesions; add-on codes like 61797 affect session-level billing, case costing, and payer coverage policies for multi-target treatments.

Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. The paper outlines what facilities and clinicians should expect in payer coverage approaches and how this add-on code interacts with primary SRS codes in episode-level reimbursement.

Readers will learn the clinical context of the code, typical sites of service for use, common payer considerations, and where to look for benchmarks and policy updates. The summary highlights that 61797 is tied to single-session treatment of multiple simple lesions and that billing will typically occur alongside a primary SRS CPT code. Data not provided in the input for specific payer edits, payment rates, and associated diagnosis coding is noted as unavailable; where available, readers will find guidance on documentation requirements and coding relationships to support accurate claims submission.