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CPT code 38570: Laparoscopic node biopsy, retroperitoneal sampling2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Report this service for laparoscopic biopsy sampling of one or more retroperitoneal lymph nodes, rather than a formal lymphadenectomy.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities10.4K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $480.64 for 38570 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 38570

Laparoscopic node biopsy, retroperitoneal sampling

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
8.28
Total RVUs
14.39
Global days
010

National rate · 2026

$480.64

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 38570 →Billed by an NP, PA or therapist? →

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

Your location

Medicare pays by the payment locality where the service is performed.

On this page 10 sections
  1. Medicare rate
  2. What 38570 covers
  3. By payment locality
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Similar codes
  8. Related codes
  9. Billing questions
  10. Sources

What 38570 covers

A surgeon uses a laparoscope to locate and sample retroperitoneal lymph nodes for tissue examination. The code covers sampling of a single node or multiple nodes; it is commonly encountered in operative staging when nodal tissue is needed without a more extensive lymph-node dissection. Gynecologic, urologic, and general surgeons may perform the procedure in an operating room, usually in a facility setting.

Report the code when the operative note documents the laparoscopic approach and retroperitoneal node sampling, including the sampled sites and specimens. The 10-day global period includes related postoperative visits during that period. When related endoscopies are performed together, endoscopy-family pricing applies. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for bilateral sampling under this code. Assistant-at-surgery payment and co-surgeon billing are permitted; team-surgery billing is not permitted.

This summary was written with AI assistance from CMS physician fee schedule data and checked against the CMS billing rules shown here. Rates on this page come directly from CMS files.

Where 38570 pays more and less

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

109 of 109 payment localities

38570 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$437.27
AlaskaUnavailable$602.48
ArizonaUnavailable$467.78
ArkansasUnavailable$431.99
Atlanta, GAUnavailable$495.42
Austin, TXUnavailable$483.09
Bakersfield, CAUnavailable$477.34
Baltimore area, MDUnavailable$509.44
Beaumont, TXUnavailable$463.37
Brazoria, TXUnavailable$468.82

38570 rates by state

Office rate range in each state. Select a state to see its payment localities.

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Explore a state

Local rates. Clear comparisons.

Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.

View every state and territory as a table
38570 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AKNo published base rate1
ALNo published base rate1
ARNo published base rate1
AZNo published base rate1
CANo published base rate29
CONo published base rate1
CTNo published base rate1
DCNo published base rate1
DENo published base rate1
FLNo published base rate3
GANo published base rate2
GUNo published base rate1
HINo published base rate1
IANo published base rate1
IDNo published base rate1
ILNo published base rate4
INNo published base rate1
KSNo published base rate1
KYNo published base rate1
LANo published base rate2
MANo published base rate2
MDNo published base rate3
MENo published base rate2
MINo published base rate2
MNNo published base rate1
MONo published base rate3
MSNo published base rate1
MTNo published base rate1
NCNo published base rate1
NDNo published base rate1
NENo published base rate1
NHNo published base rate1
NJNo published base rate2
NMNo published base rate1
NVNo published base rate1
NYNo published base rate5
OHNo published base rate1
OKNo published base rate1
ORNo published base rate2
PANo published base rate2
PRNo published base rate1
RINo published base rate1
SCNo published base rate1
SDNo published base rate1
TNNo published base rate1
TXNo published base rate8
UTNo published base rate1
VANo published base rate2
VINo published base rate1
VTNo published base rate1
WANo published base rate2
WINo published base rate1
WVNo published base rate1
WYNo published base rate1

How the 38570 rate is calculated

Each of 38570’s three RVUs is multiplied by a geographic index (GPCI) for the payment locality, added up, and multiplied by the conversion factor. Drag the indexes or enter a ZIP to see what moves the rate.

How the rate is built · 38570

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work8.28

8.28 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense4.38

4.38 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice1.73

1.73 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

14.3900

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$480.64

Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 38570

38570 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 38570

Laparoscopic node biopsy, retroperitoneal sampling

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period010Minor procedure: the day of the procedure plus 10 days after are included.
Multiple procedures3Endoscopy family rules apply.
Bilateral (modifier 50)0The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)2Paid.
Co-surgeons (62)2Permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.10/0.80/0.10Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 38570

Laparoscopic node biopsy, retroperitoneal sampling

10-day global period ends

Oct 11, 2026

Covers Oct 1, 2026 through Oct 11, 2026 (11 days).

Visit on Oct 31, 2026

After the global period ends: visits and procedures are billed normally.

SurgeryVisit
Sep 28, 2026Oct 14, 2026

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

38570 without 51 · national facility

$480.64

Laparoscopic node biopsy, retroperitoneal sampling

38570-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$240.32

When this isn’t the highest-valued procedure in the session, Medicare pays 50% of its fee schedule amount (the highest is paid at 100%).

When to use modifier 51

38570 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

5 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 38570

    Laparoscopic node biopsy, retroperitoneal sampling8.28 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 38571

    Pelvic lymphadenectomy, laparoscopic, bilateral11.7 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 38572

    Laparoscopic lymphadenectomy, pelvic dissection plus para-aortic sampling15.21 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 38573

    Laparoscopic lymphadenectomy, bilateral pelvic with para-aortic sampling19.5 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 38505

    Lymph node biopsy, needle, superficial node1.55 wRVU

    $170.34

How to choose

38571Pelvic lymphadenectomyLaparoscopic, bilateral
38570 describes retroperitoneal node sampling. Use 38571 when the operation is a bilateral total pelvic lymphadenectomy.
38572Laparoscopic lymphadenectomyPelvic dissection plus para-aortic sampling
38572 describes bilateral total pelvic lymphadenectomy with peri-aortic node sampling; 38570 is for retroperitoneal sampling without that broader pelvic dissection.
38573Laparoscopic lymphadenectomyBilateral pelvic with para-aortic sampling
38573 is for bilateral total pelvic and peri-aortic lymphadenectomy. 38570 describes sampling rather than that extent of nodal dissection.
38505Lymph node biopsyNeedle, superficial node
38505 is for needle biopsy of a lymph node. Use 38570 when the surgeon samples retroperitoneal nodes laparoscopically.

Codes related to 38570

Related codes aren’t interchangeable: bill the code that matches the service performed.

Codes related to 38570
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
38571Pelvic lymphadenectomy, laparoscopic, bilateralLaparoscopic bilateral total pelvic lymphadenectomy rather than retroperitoneal node sampling.No office rate
38572Laparoscopic lymphadenectomy, pelvic dissection plus para-aortic samplingAdds bilateral total pelvic lymphadenectomy to peri-aortic node sampling.No office rate
38573Laparoscopic lymphadenectomy, bilateral pelvic with para-aortic samplingLaparoscopic bilateral pelvic and peri-aortic lymphadenectomy.No office rate
Used instead
38505Lymph node biopsy, needle, superficial nodeNeedle approach for lymph-node biopsy instead of laparoscopic surgical sampling.$151.67–$223.30

38570 billing questions

When should 38570 be chosen instead of a laparoscopic lymphadenectomy code?

Use 38570 for retroperitoneal node sampling, whether one or multiple nodes are sampled. Choose a lymphadenectomy code when the documented procedure is the more extensive nodal dissection described by that code.

Can multiple sampled nodes be reported as multiple units?

No. The code covers sampling of a single node or multiple nodes; the number of specimens does not create additional units of 38570.

Should modifier 50 be appended for bilateral sampling?

No. Bilateral adjustment is inappropriate for this code, so do not use modifier 50 for bilateral sampling.

How are related endoscopic procedures priced when performed together?

Endoscopy-family pricing applies when related endoscopies are performed together. The operative documentation should identify the procedures performed during the session.

What postoperative care is included?

Related postoperative visits during the 10-day global period are included in the procedure's global service.

Where these rates come from

FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indexes and the conversion factor. Services without a published rate are labeled, never given a made-up amount. Amounts are Medicare allowed amounts before claim adjustments: not a patient’s bill or a commercial rate.

CMS RVU26D · effective Oct 1, 2026 through the day before Jan 1, 2027

Show the CMS file lines behind this rate
RVUs for 38570PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 4,753 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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