The team surgery indicator tells you whether Medicare pays a surgical team—several physicians, often of different specialties, billed with modifier 66—for a procedure.
What each surgical modifier pays for a code Copy link
Enter a code to see its five surgery indicators and what a line with each modifier pays, on the national amount in the setting you choose.
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27447 · Facility · Q4 2026 release
The national facility amount for 27447 is $1,159.35. Each modifier pays from it.
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Team surgery · indicator 0: Not permitted
Medicare does not recognize a surgical team (modifier 66) for this procedure.
- 27447-66 · Team surgery
- Team surgery is not permitted for this code.
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Bilateral surgery · indicator 1: 150% bilateral adjustment applies
Billed bilaterally (modifier 50, or on both sides), Medicare pays 150% of the single-side fee schedule amount.
- 27447-50 · Bilateral
- $1,739.02
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Assistant at surgery · indicator 2: Payable
An assistant at surgery may be separately paid for this procedure, typically as a percentage of the fee schedule amount.
- 27447-80/81/82 · Physician assistant at surgery
- $185.50
- 27447-AS · PA, NP or CNS assisting
- $157.67
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Co-surgeons · indicator 1: Payable with documentation
Co-surgeons may be paid, but only with supporting documentation establishing the medical necessity of two surgeons.
- 27447-62 · Each co-surgeon
- $724.59 (Only with documentation)
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Multiple procedures · indicator 2: Standard reduction applies
When billed with other procedures on the same date, the highest-valued one is paid at 100% and the next four at 50% each.
27447 code page has these amounts in each locality.
National amounts (GPCI 1.000) before sequestration. A modifier amount is what one line with that modifier pays; whether the modifier applies to a claim depends on the procedure performed.
Priced by report, not a percentage Copy link
Team surgery is for complex procedures, such as multistage transplants and coronary bypass, where each physician performs a distinct function that needs special skills. Unlike co-surgery, it is never a fixed percentage of the fee schedule amount: the Medicare Administrative Contractor prices it "by report," case by case from the documentation. Indicator 2 means a team is payable, priced by report. Indicator 1 means a team can be paid only with documentation establishing that the procedure needed one, and is likewise priced by report. Indicator 0 means Medicare does not permit a surgical team for the procedure. Indicator 9 means the concept does not apply.
Team surgery indicator values Copy link
All four values, in one table:
| Value | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 0 | Team surgery not permitted |
| 1 | Payable with documentation of medical necessity, priced by report |
| 2 | Payable, priced by report |
| 9 | Concept does not apply |
Frequently asked Copy link
Why doesn't a code page show a dollar amount for modifier 66?
Team surgery is priced by report, so there is no single per-code figure to compute. The Medicare Administrative Contractor sets the amount from the operative documentation.
Sources Copy link
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02 CMS Medicare Claims Processing Manual (Pub. 100-04)—supports 1 statement
CMS Medicare Claims Processing Manual (Pub. 100-04)
- Team surgery (modifier 66) is paid on a "by report" basis.
Written from primary CMS sources—see how we source, compute, and verify everything on this site.
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