CPT 63005 is generally used for removal of the lamina to provide central decompression of the spinal cord. CPT 63047 involves not only removal of lamina for central decompression but also lateral recess decompression in the form of a facetectomy (e.g., medial, partial) and/or foraminotomy for nerve root decompression.

Yes, it can be confusing because the code descriptions are very similar. However, look very carefully and you’ll see the differences. Here are the code descriptions and I’ve bolded some key differences: