CPT 63082: Anterior Cervical Vertebral Excision with Decompression

Medicare pays $237 on average nationally for this procedure.

CPT code 63082 describes an anterior cervical procedure in which the surgeon excises part or all of a cervical vertebra and performs decompression of the spinal cord and/or nerve roots at an additional cervical level following the initial excision; service type: cervical spine anterior excision with decompression, typical site of service: inpatient or outpatient hospital operating room or ambulatory surgical center for cervical spine surgery.

For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Lumbar Microdiscectomy, Artificial Cervical Intervertebral Disc, Lumbar Decompression.

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CPT 63082: Anterior Cervical Vertebral Excision with Decompression

Medicare pays $237 on average nationally for this procedure.

For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Lumbar Microdiscectomy, Artificial Cervical Intervertebral Disc, Lumbar Decompression.

Customize your policy alerts

Sign up for cpt 63082 policy alerts

Get alerted when payer policies referencing 63082 are released or updated.

Monitor payer policy activity

Receive email alerts as soon as relevant payer policies are published or updated.

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A 58-year-old patient presents with progressive neck pain, unilateral radiculopathy radiating into the arm, and neurologic deficits including hand weakness and gait instability. Imaging (cervical MRI and CT) demonstrates multilevel cervical spondylotic myelopathy with central canal stenosis and a soft disc osteophyte complex compressing the spinal cord at C4–C5 and a second compressive lesion at C5–C6. The surgeon elects an anterior cervical corpectomy at a primary vertebral level with decompression extended to an additional adjacent level via the same anterior approach.

The clinical workflow includes preoperative evaluation (history, neurologic exam, advanced cervical imaging, medical clearance), perioperative documentation of informed consent specifying planned corpectomy and multilevel decompression, intraoperative operative report documenting the anterior approach, levels addressed, extent of vertebral excision, decompression of the spinal cord/nerve roots at the additional level, and any implants used (e.g., cage, plate). Postoperative notes document neurologic status, complications if any, and follow-up care with imaging to confirm alignment and decompression. Billing for this service uses 63082 to reflect the corpectomy at one cervical vertebral level with decompression of an additional adjacent level via the anterior approach.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`22551`	Arthrodesis, anterior interbody technique, including minimal diskectomy to prepare interspace (other than for decompression); cervical, single interspace	Often performed with corpectomy when anterior column reconstruction and fusion are required.
`22845`	Anterior instrumentation; 2 to 3 vertebral segments	May be used to provide anterior plate fixation after corpectomy and fusion across multiple cervical levels.
`20936`	Autograft, morselized; spine or pelvis, any method	May be billed if autologous graft material is harvested and used for fusion after corpectomy.
`63020`	Laminotomy (hemilaminectomy), one vertebral segment, cervical	Represents a posterior decompressive approach and may be performed in staged or combined procedures when posterior decompression is required.
`22842`	Posterior segmental instrumentation (eg, pedicle fixation, lateral mass fixation)	May be used in combined anterior-posterior reconstructions when additional posterior fixation is indicated.

Related Modifiers

5 rows

Modifier	Description	When to Use
51	Modifier –51 (Multiple Procedures) is used when the same provider performs multiple procedures in the same session to identify secondary, non‑exempt procedures and indicate payment reduction logic…	- Use modifier -51 when the same provider performs multiple distinct procedures during the same patient encounter: report the highest‑valued procedure first (no modifier) and append -51 to…
78	CPT modifier -78 indicates an unplanned, related return to the operating or procedure room by the same provider during the global postoperative period. It is appended when treatment for a…	- Use modifier -78 when an unplanned, related complication during the original procedure’s global postoperative period requires the patient to return to a formal operating or procedure room and the…
53	Modifier 53 (Discontinued Procedure) signals that a surgical or diagnostic service was begun by the physician but terminated because of extenuating circumstances that threatened the patient’s…	- Use modifier -53 when a physician/qualified healthcare professional has started a surgical or diagnostic procedure (e.g., anesthesia administered, incision or scope insertion) and then discontinues…
[object Object]
59	Modifier 59 indicates a distinct procedural service when two procedures that are not normally billed together are clinically and procedurally separate. The CPT definition (as reiterated by CMS)…	- Use modifier -59 to report a distinct procedural service when documentation supports that the procedure reported is not normally billed together with another service on the same day because of a…

Related Provider Taxonomies

8 rows

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
207RH0000X	Hematology (Internal Medicine) Physician	An internist with additional training who specializes in diseases of the blood, spleen and lymph. This specialist treats conditions such as anemia, cl…
251F00000X	Home Infusion Agency	Agencies · Home Infusion
174M00000X	Veterinarian	A doctor of veterinary medicine, trained and authorized to practice veterinarian medicine and surgery.
335U00000X	Organ Procurement Organization	A federally designated organization that works with hospital personnel in retrieval of organs for transplantation. The federal government designates a…
405300000X	Prevention Professional	Prevention Professionals work in programs aimed to address specific patient needs, such as suicide prevention, violence prevention, alcohol avoidance,…
208200000X	Plastic Surgery Physician	A plastic surgeon deals with the repair, reconstruction or replacement of physical defects of form or function involving the skin, musculoskeletal sys…
175L00000X	Homeopath	A provider who is educated and trained in a system of therapeutics in which diseases are treated by drugs which are capable of producing in healthy pe…
1835P1400X	Pain Management Pharmacist	A licensed pharmacist who has demonstrated specialized knowledge and skills, providing integrated, comprehensive, and accessible healthcare services t…

Related ICD-10-CM Codes

21 rows

ICD-10-CM Code	Description
G54.1	Lumbosacral plexus disorders
M43.07	Spondylolysis, lumbosacral region
M47.12	Other spondylosis with myelopathy, cervical region
M47.22	Other spondylosis with radiculopathy, cervical region
M47.812	Spondylosis without myelopathy or radiculopathy, cervical region
M48.02	Spinal stenosis, cervical region
M48.03	Spinal stenosis, cervicothoracic region
M50.20	Other cervical disc displacement, unspecified cervical region
M50.21	Other cervical disc displacement, high cervical region
M50.30	Other cervical disc degeneration, unspecified cervical region

Showing 1–10 of 21

Related Payer Policy Updates

Specialty: Neurology/Neurosurgery1 / 3

10 rows

Policy	Payer	Effective Date
Lumbar Microdiscectomy	univerahealthcare	2026-10-15
Artificial Cervical Intervertebral Disc	univerahealthcare	2026-10-15
Lumbar Decompression	univerahealthcare	2026-10-15
Nerve Fiber Density Testing (IENFD/ENFD) Coverage Criteria	Oscar Health	2026-10-01
Biomarker Testing for Multiple Sclerosis and Related Neurologic Diseases	Oscar Health	2026-10-01
Biochemical Markers of Alzheimer Disease and Dementia	Oscar Health	2026-10-01
Serum Testing For Evidence of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury	Oscar Health	2026-10-01
Evaluation of Cerebrospinal Fluid, Urine and Plasma for Alzheimer Disease	Bluecross Idaho	2026-09-01
Prior Authorization of Spinal Procedures	Blue Cross Blue Shield - Rhode Island	2026-09-01
Alzheimer's Disease - Amyloid Beta- Directed Antibodies - Kisunla	Cigna	2026-08-15

CPT 63075: Cervical Disc Herniation Decompression with Graft

CPT-63076-CERVICAL-DISCECTOMY-ADD-ON-FUSION

CPT 63076: Repair of Additional Herniated Cervical Disc

CPT-63077-THORACIC-DISCECTOMY-DECOMPRESSION-INTERBODY-GRAFTING

CPT 63077: Thoracic Discectomy with Interbody Graft

CPT-63078-THORACIC-DISCECTOMY-INTERBODY-GRAFTING

CPT 63078: Thoracic Discectomy with Interbody Grafting (Add-on Procedure)

CPT-63081-ANTERIOR-CERVICAL-VERTEBRAL-EXCISION-DECOMPRESSION-SINGLE-LEVEL

CPT 63081: Anterior Cervical Vertebrectomy, Single Level

CPT-63085-THORACIC-VERTEBRECTOMY-TRANSTHORACIC-DECOMPRESSION

CPT 63085: Thoracic Vertebrectomy with Decompression, Transthoracic

CPT-63086-THORACIC-VERTEBRECTOMY-ANTERIOR-APPROACH-DECOMPRESSION

CPT 63086: Transthoracic Thoracic Vertebrectomy with Decompression

CPT-63087-LOWER-THORACIC-LUMBAR-VERTEBRAL-EXCISION-DECOMPRESSION

CPT 63087: Excision of Lower Thoracic or Lumbar Vertebra, Decompression

CPT-63088-THORACOLUMBAR-VERTEBRAL-EXCISION-DECOMPRESSION-ADDITIONAL-LEVEL

CPT 63088: Thoracolumbar Vertebral Excision with Additional-Level Decompression

CPT-63090-LOWER-THORACIC-LUMBAR-SACRAL-VERTEBRAL-EXCISION-DECOMPRESSION

CPT 63090: Lower Thoracic/Lumbar/Sacral Vertebrectomy with Decompression

Showing 1–10 of 11

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.

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Trek Health ingests and normalizes Transparency in Coverage data and payer policy updates to give provider organizations a clear view of how commercial reimbursement behaves across markets, payers, and services. Our platform transforms raw payer disclosures into structured intelligence that supports contract evaluation, payer negotiations, and service line strategy. By combining market benchmarks with ongoing policy visibility, Trek helps teams identify variability, risk, and opportunity in commercial reimbursement. The result is faster insight, stronger negotiating positions, and more informed financial decisions.

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Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`22551`	Arthrodesis, anterior interbody technique, including minimal diskectomy to prepare interspace (other than for decompression); cervical, single interspace	Often performed with corpectomy when anterior column reconstruction and fusion are required.
`22845`	Anterior instrumentation; 2 to 3 vertebral segments	May be used to provide anterior plate fixation after corpectomy and fusion across multiple cervical levels.
`20936`	Autograft, morselized; spine or pelvis, any method	May be billed if autologous graft material is harvested and used for fusion after corpectomy.
`63020`	Laminotomy (hemilaminectomy), one vertebral segment, cervical	Represents a posterior decompressive approach and may be performed in staged or combined procedures when posterior decompression is required.
`22842`	Posterior segmental instrumentation (eg, pedicle fixation, lateral mass fixation)	May be used in combined anterior-posterior reconstructions when additional posterior fixation is indicated.

Related Modifiers

5 rows

Modifier	Description	When to Use
51	Modifier –51 (Multiple Procedures) is used when the same provider performs multiple procedures in the same session to identify secondary, non‑exempt procedures and indicate payment reduction logic…	- Use modifier -51 when the same provider performs multiple distinct procedures during the same patient encounter: report the highest‑valued procedure first (no modifier) and append -51 to…
78	CPT modifier -78 indicates an unplanned, related return to the operating or procedure room by the same provider during the global postoperative period. It is appended when treatment for a…	- Use modifier -78 when an unplanned, related complication during the original procedure’s global postoperative period requires the patient to return to a formal operating or procedure room and the…
53	Modifier 53 (Discontinued Procedure) signals that a surgical or diagnostic service was begun by the physician but terminated because of extenuating circumstances that threatened the patient’s…	- Use modifier -53 when a physician/qualified healthcare professional has started a surgical or diagnostic procedure (e.g., anesthesia administered, incision or scope insertion) and then discontinues…
[object Object]
59	Modifier 59 indicates a distinct procedural service when two procedures that are not normally billed together are clinically and procedurally separate. The CPT definition (as reiterated by CMS)…	- Use modifier -59 to report a distinct procedural service when documentation supports that the procedure reported is not normally billed together with another service on the same day because of a…

Related Provider Taxonomies

8 rows

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
207RH0000X	Hematology (Internal Medicine) Physician	An internist with additional training who specializes in diseases of the blood, spleen and lymph. This specialist treats conditions such as anemia, cl…
251F00000X	Home Infusion Agency	Agencies · Home Infusion
174M00000X	Veterinarian	A doctor of veterinary medicine, trained and authorized to practice veterinarian medicine and surgery.
335U00000X	Organ Procurement Organization	A federally designated organization that works with hospital personnel in retrieval of organs for transplantation. The federal government designates a…
405300000X	Prevention Professional	Prevention Professionals work in programs aimed to address specific patient needs, such as suicide prevention, violence prevention, alcohol avoidance,…
208200000X	Plastic Surgery Physician	A plastic surgeon deals with the repair, reconstruction or replacement of physical defects of form or function involving the skin, musculoskeletal sys…
175L00000X	Homeopath	A provider who is educated and trained in a system of therapeutics in which diseases are treated by drugs which are capable of producing in healthy pe…
1835P1400X	Pain Management Pharmacist	A licensed pharmacist who has demonstrated specialized knowledge and skills, providing integrated, comprehensive, and accessible healthcare services t…

Related ICD-10-CM Codes

21 rows

ICD-10-CM Code	Description
G54.1	Lumbosacral plexus disorders
M43.07	Spondylolysis, lumbosacral region
M47.12	Other spondylosis with myelopathy, cervical region
M47.22	Other spondylosis with radiculopathy, cervical region
M47.812	Spondylosis without myelopathy or radiculopathy, cervical region
M48.02	Spinal stenosis, cervical region
M48.03	Spinal stenosis, cervicothoracic region
M50.20	Other cervical disc displacement, unspecified cervical region
M50.21	Other cervical disc displacement, high cervical region
M50.30	Other cervical disc degeneration, unspecified cervical region

Showing 1–10 of 21

Related Payer Policy Updates

Specialty: Neurology/Neurosurgery1 / 3

10 rows

Policy	Payer	Effective Date
Lumbar Microdiscectomy	univerahealthcare	2026-10-15
Artificial Cervical Intervertebral Disc	univerahealthcare	2026-10-15
Lumbar Decompression	univerahealthcare	2026-10-15
Nerve Fiber Density Testing (IENFD/ENFD) Coverage Criteria	Oscar Health	2026-10-01
Biomarker Testing for Multiple Sclerosis and Related Neurologic Diseases	Oscar Health	2026-10-01
Biochemical Markers of Alzheimer Disease and Dementia	Oscar Health	2026-10-01
Serum Testing For Evidence of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury	Oscar Health	2026-10-01
Evaluation of Cerebrospinal Fluid, Urine and Plasma for Alzheimer Disease	Bluecross Idaho	2026-09-01
Prior Authorization of Spinal Procedures	Blue Cross Blue Shield - Rhode Island	2026-09-01
Alzheimer's Disease - Amyloid Beta- Directed Antibodies - Kisunla	Cigna	2026-08-15

CPT 63075: Cervical Disc Herniation Decompression with Graft

CPT-63076-CERVICAL-DISCECTOMY-ADD-ON-FUSION

CPT 63076: Repair of Additional Herniated Cervical Disc

CPT-63077-THORACIC-DISCECTOMY-DECOMPRESSION-INTERBODY-GRAFTING

CPT 63077: Thoracic Discectomy with Interbody Graft

CPT-63078-THORACIC-DISCECTOMY-INTERBODY-GRAFTING

CPT 63078: Thoracic Discectomy with Interbody Grafting (Add-on Procedure)

CPT-63081-ANTERIOR-CERVICAL-VERTEBRAL-EXCISION-DECOMPRESSION-SINGLE-LEVEL

CPT 63081: Anterior Cervical Vertebrectomy, Single Level

CPT-63085-THORACIC-VERTEBRECTOMY-TRANSTHORACIC-DECOMPRESSION

CPT 63085: Thoracic Vertebrectomy with Decompression, Transthoracic

CPT-63086-THORACIC-VERTEBRECTOMY-ANTERIOR-APPROACH-DECOMPRESSION

CPT 63086: Transthoracic Thoracic Vertebrectomy with Decompression

CPT-63087-LOWER-THORACIC-LUMBAR-VERTEBRAL-EXCISION-DECOMPRESSION

CPT 63087: Excision of Lower Thoracic or Lumbar Vertebra, Decompression

CPT-63088-THORACOLUMBAR-VERTEBRAL-EXCISION-DECOMPRESSION-ADDITIONAL-LEVEL

CPT 63088: Thoracolumbar Vertebral Excision with Additional-Level Decompression

CPT-63090-LOWER-THORACIC-LUMBAR-SACRAL-VERTEBRAL-EXCISION-DECOMPRESSION

CPT 63090: Lower Thoracic/Lumbar/Sacral Vertebrectomy with Decompression

Showing 1–10 of 11

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.

Published by

Trek Health powers OpenPayer with a leading commercial payer intelligence platform, seamlessly converting fragmented payer data into actionable insights for provider organizations.

OpenPayer

CPT 63082: Anterior Cervical Vertebral Excision with Decompression

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CPT 63082: Anterior Cervical Vertebral Excision with Decompression

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Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Related CPT Codes

Related Modifiers

Related Provider Taxonomies

Related ICD-10-CM Codes

Related Payer Policy Updates

Related Codes

References

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Related CPT Codes

Related Modifiers

Related Provider Taxonomies

Related ICD-10-CM Codes

Related Payer Policy Updates

Related Codes

References

CPT 63082: Anterior Cervical Vertebral Excision with Decompression

Sign up for cpt 63082 policy alerts

CPT 63082: Anterior Cervical Vertebral Excision with Decompression

Sign up for cpt 63082 policy alerts

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Related CPT Codes

Related Modifiers

Related Provider Taxonomies

Related ICD-10-CM Codes

Related Payer Policy Updates

Related Codes

What clinical scenario does CPT 63082 represent and what should the operative documentation include?

Which CPT codes are commonly associated with reconstruction or fusion performed with this corpectomy?

What diagnoses or clinical indications are associated with CPT 63082?

Where is this procedure typically performed and which payers are noted in the summary metadata?

What specific preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative documentation should support billing CPT 63082?

References

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Related CPT Codes

Related Modifiers

Related Provider Taxonomies

Related ICD-10-CM Codes

Related Payer Policy Updates

Related Codes

What clinical scenario does CPT 63082 represent and what should the operative documentation include?

Which CPT codes are commonly associated with reconstruction or fusion performed with this corpectomy?

What diagnoses or clinical indications are associated with CPT 63082?

Where is this procedure typically performed and which payers are noted in the summary metadata?

What specific preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative documentation should support billing CPT 63082?

References