66821 — Removal of recurring cataract in lens capsule using a laser

What the market charges

Across 22,000 negotiated rates, the middle 80% fall between $272 and $776, with a median of $421.

What Medicare pays

Medicare allowed an average of $251 for this code, across 989,295 services billed by 10,031 providers. At the median, the market charges 1.7 times what Medicare pays for this code.

Where this is billed, and what it costs there

The states billing 66821 most, by Medicare service volume, each compared against the national average of $251. Each links to the providers Mishe lists there.

  • Illinois — 359 providers billed it, Medicare allowed $92 — 63% below the national average
  • Florida — 727 providers billed it, Medicare allowed $301 — 20% above the national average
  • California — 931 providers billed it, Medicare allowed $356 — 42% above the national average
  • Texas — 681 providers billed it, Medicare allowed $308 — 23% above the national average
  • Tennessee — 234 providers billed it, Medicare allowed $173 — 31% below the national average
  • North Carolina — 294 providers billed it, Medicare allowed $178 — 29% below the national average
  • South Carolina — 171 providers billed it, Medicare allowed $162 — 35% below the national average
  • Ohio — 365 providers billed it, Medicare allowed $222 — 12% below the national average

Claim-editing rules

These are National Correct Coding Initiative procedure-to-procedure edits — the rules a payer applies when deciding whether two codes billed together are both payable.

Codes this one absorbs

Billed together, 66821 is the payable code and these are not separately payable. 205 pairs in total.

  • 12001 — a modifier may allow both to be paid
  • 12002 — a modifier may allow both to be paid
  • 12004 — a modifier may allow both to be paid
  • 12005 — a modifier may allow both to be paid
  • 12006 — a modifier may allow both to be paid
  • 12007 — a modifier may allow both to be paid
  • 12011 — a modifier may allow both to be paid
  • 12013 — a modifier may allow both to be paid
  • 12014 — a modifier may allow both to be paid
  • 12015 — a modifier may allow both to be paid
  • 12016 — a modifier may allow both to be paid
  • 12017 — a modifier may allow both to be paid

Codes that absorb this one

Billed alongside any of these, 66821 is not separately payable. 20 pairs in total.

  • 66830 — a modifier may allow both to be paid
  • 66840 — a modifier may allow both to be paid
  • 66850 — a modifier may allow both to be paid
  • 66852 — a modifier may allow both to be paid
  • 66920 — a modifier may allow both to be paid
  • 66930 — a modifier may allow both to be paid
  • 66940 — a modifier may allow both to be paid
  • 66982 — a modifier may allow both to be paid
  • 66983 — a modifier may allow both to be paid
  • 66984 — a modifier may allow both to be paid
  • 66985 — a modifier may allow both to be paid
  • 66986 — a modifier may allow both to be paid

Deploy this for your team

Every figure on this page came from published payer and Medicare data, assembled by Mishe. The same pricing, claim-editing and care-pathway intelligence runs underneath the plans Mishe operates.

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