CPT code 44126: Atresia resection, without bowel tapering2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $2,285.29 for 44126 nationally in a facility.

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

What 44126 covers

This service covers surgical removal of an atretic segment of small intestine in a patient with congenital intestinal atresia, followed by reconstruction to restore bowel continuity. It is typically performed by a pediatric or general surgeon in an operating room, often for an infant or child whose atresia obstructs intestinal passage. The distinguishing feature is that the surgeon does not taper the bowel as part of the repair.

Report this code when the operative note supports congenital atresia, the small-bowel resection and reconstruction, and the absence of tapering. Document additional resection and anastomosis work separately when supported by the applicable add-on code. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during that period. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery 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 44126 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

44126 rates by state

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

How the 44126 rate is calculated

Each of 44126’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.

Payment rules and modifiers for 44126

44126 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 51

44126 compared with similar codes

How to choose

44120Small-bowel resectionSingle resection with anastomosis

Choose 44126 for congenital atresia when the repair does not include bowel tapering. 44120 describes a small-bowel resection and anastomosis without that atresia-specific distinction.

44125Small-bowel resectionWith enterostomy

44125 describes small-bowel resection with an enterostomy. 44126 is the atresia repair without tapering that restores bowel continuity.

44127Atresia resectionWith tapering enteroplasty

The distinction is whether the surgeon tapers the bowel during the congenital-atresia repair: without tapering is 44126; with tapering is 44127.

44128Small bowel resectionAdditional atresia resection

44128 is an add-on for additional congenital-atresia resection and anastomosis work, not the primary repair represented by 44126.

Codes related to 44126

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

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

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates