CPT code 45308: Lesion removal, rigid scope, cautery technique2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Reports removal of a distal rectal or rectosigmoid lesion during rigid proctosigmoidoscopy using hot biopsy forceps or bipolar cautery.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities

Medicare pays $227.13 for 45308 nationally in the office and $81.50 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $197.06–$302.84.

Medicare rate · 45308

Lesion removal, rigid scope, cautery technique

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
1.27
Total RVUs
6.80
Global days
000

National rate · 2026

$227.13

Office setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 45308 →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 45308 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 45308 covers

A rigid proctosigmoidoscope is used to inspect the rectum and distal sigmoid and remove a tumor, polyp, or other lesion with hot biopsy forceps or bipolar cautery. Gastroenterologists and colorectal surgeons may perform the procedure in an office, endoscopy suite, or operating room. The operative note should identify the rigid scope, the lesion treated, and the removal technique; a diagnostic examination or tissue sampling alone does not establish this service.

Select this code for cautery removal, rather than snare removal or biopsy alone. CMS assigns a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When related endoscopies are performed together, endoscopy-family pricing applies. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this anatomy and service. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery, and co-surgeon and team-surgery billing are 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 45308 pays more and less

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

109 payment localities

$197.06 to $302.84

$197.06$249.95$302.84
One dot per payment locality, office / nonfacility. Hover a dot to see the locality; select it to open that rate.

109 of 109 payment localities

45308 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
Alabama$200.43$73.00
Alaska$254.33$99.24
Arizona$220.08$78.97
Arkansas$197.06$71.97
Atlanta, GA$232.37$84.41
Austin, TX$235.91$81.84
Bakersfield, CA$239.97$80.36
Baltimore area, MD$243.21$86.95
Beaumont, TX$210.72$78.20
Brazoria, TX$223.34$79.02

45308 rates by state

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

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.

$197.06

$270.94

Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.

View every state and territory as a table
45308 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$254.331
AL$200.431
AR$197.061
AZ$220.081
CA$239.03–$302.8429
CO$236.151
CT$243.751
DC$261.531
DE$224.081
FL$225.39–$252.093
GA$210.68–$232.372
GU$245.911
HI$245.911
IA$205.371
ID$207.121
IL$218.66–$243.434
IN$208.491
KS$204.721
KY$206.931
LA$206.74–$218.512
MA$234.60–$261.142
MD$228.67–$261.533
ME$208.87–$221.262
MI$213.58–$229.092
MN$223.911
MO$202.95–$218.843
MS$200.031
MT$227.101
NC$211.311
ND$220.181
NE$206.531
NH$232.761
NJ$245.87–$258.282
NM$215.121
NV$225.351
NY$215.00–$272.565
OH$212.171
OK$206.011
OR$222.96–$244.022
PA$212.30–$237.242
PR$228.851
RI$232.381
SC$212.221
SD$219.361
TN$205.971
TX$210.72–$235.918
UT$215.551
VA$220.75–$261.532
VI$228.851
VT$219.621
WA$234.05–$266.382
WI$211.771
WV$209.501
WY$224.091

How the 45308 rate is calculated

Each of 45308’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 · 45308

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work1.27

1.27 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense5.18

5.18 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.35

0.35 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

6.8000

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$227.13

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 45308

The CMS indicators that decide how 45308 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 45308

Lesion removal, rigid scope, cautery technique

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period000Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is included.
Multiple procedures3Endoscopy family rules apply.
Bilateral (modifier 50)0The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)1Not paid (statutory restriction).
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

45308 without 51 · national office

$227.13

Lesion removal, rigid scope, cautery technique

45308-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$113.57

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

45308 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

5 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 45308

    Lesion removal, rigid scope, cautery technique1.27 wRVU

    $227.13

  • 45309

    Proctosigmoidoscopy, snare lesion removal1.37 wRVU

    $234.14+$7.01

  • 45305

    Proctosigmoidoscopy, rigid scope with biopsy1.12 wRVU

    $198.40−$28.73

  • 45333

    Flexible sigmoidoscopy, hot biopsy forceps removal1.51 wRVU

    $368.08+$140.95

  • 45330

    Flexible sigmoidoscopy, diagnostic0.82 wRVU

    $215.10−$12.03

How to choose

45309ProctosigmoidoscopySnare lesion removal
Use 45308 when hot biopsy forceps or bipolar cautery removes the lesion. Use 45309 when a snare is used.
45305ProctosigmoidoscopyRigid scope with biopsy
45305 reports biopsy during rigid proctosigmoidoscopy; 45308 represents cautery removal of a lesion.
45333Flexible sigmoidoscopyHot biopsy forceps removal
45333 is the flexible-scope counterpart for lesion removal by hot biopsy forceps or bipolar cautery. This code is for rigid proctosigmoidoscopy.
45330Flexible sigmoidoscopyDiagnostic
45330 is diagnostic flexible sigmoidoscopy. Choose 45308 when a lesion is removed with the specified cautery technique during rigid proctosigmoidoscopy.

45308 billing questions

How does this differ from 45309?

This code represents lesion removal with hot biopsy forceps or bipolar cautery. Code 45309 is the related rigid-scope option when the lesion is removed by snare.

Can I report this for a biopsy?

No. Biopsy without the described cautery removal is represented by 45305 for rigid proctosigmoidoscopy.

Can diagnostic endoscopy be separately reported with this service?

When related endoscopies are performed together, CMS endoscopy-family pricing applies. The procedure documentation should support the therapeutic service and any separately reported endoscopy.

Should modifier 50 be appended for multiple lesions or sides?

No. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this service and anatomy; the CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be billed?

Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code. Co-surgeon and team-surgery billing are not permitted.

What is included in the 0-day global period?

Same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. The global period is 0 days.

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 45308PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 5,491 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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