CPT code 38571: Pelvic lymphadenectomy, laparoscopic, bilateral2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Missouri
Report this service for laparoscopic removal of pelvic lymph nodes on both sides, commonly performed for staging gynecologic malignancies.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 38571 in Missouri.
Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.
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What 38571 covers
This service involves laparoscopic dissection and removal of pelvic lymphatic tissue on both sides, commonly including the external iliac, internal iliac, and obturator nodal regions. Gynecologic oncologists often perform it during operative staging for cancers such as endometrial or cervical cancer. It represents a bilateral lymphadenectomy, not simply sampling one or more nodes for biopsy.
Report the code when the operative note supports a laparoscopic bilateral pelvic nodal dissection; document the approach, nodal regions addressed, and tissue removed. The code is already priced as bilateral, so modifier 50 does not increase payment. Related postoperative visits during the 10-day global period are included. When related endoscopies are performed together, CMS endoscopy-family pricing applies. CMS allows assistant-at-surgery payment and co-surgeons, but not team surgery.
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 38571 pays more and less in Missouri
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Kansas City, MO | Unavailable | $586.11 |
| Metropolitan St. Louis, MO | Unavailable | $589.45 |
| Rest of Missouri | Unavailable | $574.39 |
How the 38571 rate is calculated
Each of 38571’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 · 38571
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work11.70
11.70 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense4.49
4.49 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.67
1.67 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
17.8600
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$596.54
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 38571
38571 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 38571
Pelvic lymphadenectomy, laparoscopic, bilateral
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 010 | Minor procedure: the day of the procedure plus 10 days after are included. |
| Multiple procedures | 3 | Endoscopy family rules apply. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 2 | Already bilateral by definition: paid once at 100%. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 2 | Paid. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 2 | Permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.10/0.80/0.10 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 38571
Pelvic lymphadenectomy, laparoscopic, bilateral
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.
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
38571 without 51 · national facility
$596.54
Pelvic lymphadenectomy, laparoscopic, bilateral
38571-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$298.27
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%).
38571 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 38570Laparoscopic node biopsyRetroperitoneal sampling
- Choose 38570 for laparoscopic retroperitoneal node sampling or biopsy. Choose 38571 when the procedure is a bilateral total pelvic lymphadenectomy.
- 38572Laparoscopic lymphadenectomyPelvic dissection plus para-aortic sampling
- 38572 includes peri-aortic node sampling in addition to the bilateral total pelvic dissection represented by 38571.
- 38573Laparoscopic lymphadenectomyBilateral pelvic with para-aortic sampling
- 38573 describes bilateral total pelvic lymphadenectomy with peri-aortic lymphadenectomy, a more extensive service than pelvic dissection alone.
38571 billing questions
How is this different from 38570?
38571 represents bilateral total pelvic lymphadenectomy. Code 38570 is for laparoscopic retroperitoneal lymph node sampling or biopsy, rather than a total bilateral pelvic dissection.
Should modifier 50 be appended?
No. The code is already priced as bilateral, and modifier 50 does not increase payment.
Does the code include postoperative visits?
Related postoperative visits during the 10-day global period are included.
How does 38572 differ?
38572 includes bilateral total pelvic lymphadenectomy with additional peri-aortic lymph node sampling. Use 38571 when the documented procedure is limited to the bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
CMS permits assistant-at-surgery payment and co-surgeons for this code. Team surgery is not permitted.
What documentation supports reporting this code?
The operative report should identify the laparoscopic approach, bilateral pelvic dissection, and the nodal tissue removed. A limited node biopsy or sampling alone points to a different 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
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