CPT code 44979: Unlisted laparoscopy, appendix procedure2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Louisiana
Reports a laparoscopic appendix operation when no listed CPT code describes the specific service performed by the surgeon.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 44979 in Louisiana.
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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On this page 9 sections
What 44979 covers
Code 44979 is for a laparoscopic operation involving the appendix when no listed CPT code describes the specific service. It is not the code for a routine laparoscopic appendectomy, which has a dedicated code. The operating surgeon reports the unlisted work; the operative report should describe the procedure, the appendix-related anatomy treated, the laparoscopic approach, and the clinical purpose. This code is generally encountered in facility-based surgery.
Medicare assigns status C, or carrier priced: CMS publishes no national physician fee schedule payment, and the Medicare Administrative Contractor sets payment for each claim. The contractor also sets the global period. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, Medicare applies its standard multiple procedure reduction, with the highest-valued procedure paid in full and others at 50%. Include enough claim detail and operative documentation for the contractor to understand the service being priced.
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 44979 pays more and less in Louisiana
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans, LA | Unavailable | Unavailable |
| Rest of Louisiana | Unavailable | Unavailable |
How the 44979 rate is calculated
Each of 44979’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 · 44979
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.00
0.00 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense0.00
0.00 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.00
0.00 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
0.0000
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$0.00
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 44979
The CMS indicators that decide how 44979 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 44979
Unlisted laparoscopy, appendix procedure
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | YYY | The Medicare contractor sets the global period. |
| Multiple procedures | 2 | Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 1 | Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 2 | Paid. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| Team surgery (66) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
44979 without 50 · national facility
$0.00
Unlisted laparoscopy, appendix procedure
44979-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$0.00
Both sides on one line with modifier 50 are paid at 150% of the fee schedule amount (subject to multiple-procedure rules with other procedures).
44979 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 44970AppendectomyLaparoscopic approach
- 44970 describes laparoscopic appendectomy. Choose 44979 only when the laparoscopic appendix service is not represented by a listed code.
- 44950AppendectomyOpen approach
- 44950 is for open appendectomy. It does not describe an unlisted laparoscopic procedure.
- 44960AppendectomyRupture with abscess or peritonitis
- 44960 describes open appendectomy for a ruptured appendix with abscess or generalized peritonitis; 44979 identifies an unlisted laparoscopic appendix service.
44979 billing questions
When should I use 44979 instead of 44970?
Use 44970 for a laparoscopic appendectomy. Use 44979 only when the laparoscopic appendix procedure performed is not described by a listed CPT code.
What documentation supports a claim with 44979?
Describe the specific laparoscopic work, the appendix-related anatomy treated, and the clinical purpose in the operative report. The documentation should let the Medicare Administrative Contractor identify the service being priced.
How does Medicare set payment for 44979?
It has physician fee schedule status C, or carrier priced. CMS publishes no national payment, and the Medicare Administrative Contractor sets payment for each claim.
Who sets the global period?
The Medicare contractor sets the global period for 44979.
How are multiple procedures in the same session treated?
Medicare applies its standard multiple procedure reduction: the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are paid at 50%.
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
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