CPT code 45332: Flexible sigmoidoscopy, foreign body removal2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Flexible sigmoidoscopy with endoscopic extraction of a foreign object from the rectum or sigmoid colon, reported when removal is performed during the examination.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities331 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $312.97 for 45332 nationally in the office and $95.86 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $274.41–$425.57.

Medicare rate · 45332

Flexible sigmoidoscopy, foreign body removal

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
1.72
Total RVUs
9.37
Global days
000

National rate · 2026

$312.97

Office setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 45332 →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 45332 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 45332 covers

An endoscopist passes a flexible instrument through the anus to inspect the rectum and sigmoid colon and uses an endoscopic device to retrieve a foreign object encountered there. Gastroenterologists and colorectal surgeons commonly perform the procedure in an endoscopy unit or hospital outpatient setting; urgent removal may occur in a facility when an object is retained or causing symptoms. The report should identify the object and its location, document the scope extent and retrieval method, and describe the outcome or why removal could not be completed.

Report this service for endoscopic foreign-body extraction, not for inspection alone, biopsy, or polyp removal. Documentation should distinguish extraction from treatment of a lesion and identify any other endoscopic service performed. CMS assigns a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When related endoscopies are performed together, CMS applies endoscopy-family pricing. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this descriptor and anatomy. Medicare does not pay an assistant-at-surgery claim for this service under statutory restriction; co-surgeons and team surgery 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 45332 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

$274.41 to $425.57

$274.41$349.99$425.57
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

45332 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
Alabama$278.76$88.79
Alaska$354.52$123.31
Arizona$304.22$93.84
Arkansas$274.41$87.92
Atlanta, GA$318.59$98.01
Austin, TX$326.64$96.94
Bakersfield, CA$335.01$97.06
Baltimore area, MD$333.74$100.79
Beaumont, TX$290.11$92.54
Brazoria, TX$309.58$94.42

45332 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.

$274.41

$379.97

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

View every state and territory as a table
45332 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$354.521
AL$278.761
AR$274.411
AZ$304.221
CA$334.36–$425.5729
CO$327.931
CT$334.771
DC$361.071
DE$309.531
FL$305.74–$334.383
GA$287.58–$318.592
GU$343.871
HI$343.871
IA$287.441
ID$289.241
IL$295.51–$325.744
IN$291.071
KS$285.501
KY$284.801
LA$284.12–$299.322
MA$325.55–$362.662
MD$315.92–$361.073
ME$290.34–$308.022
MI$292.32–$309.322
MN$314.991
MO$278.53–$301.073
MS$276.551
MT$312.951
NC$293.691
ND$308.601
NE$289.291
NH$322.221
NJ$338.81–$356.792
NM$293.851
NV$311.991
NY$298.38–$369.845
OH$291.431
OK$284.771
OR$309.79–$339.552
PA$292.21–$325.592
PR$315.591
RI$321.451
SC$293.001
SD$308.091
TN$286.981
TX$290.11–$326.648
UT$297.331
VA$306.59–$361.072
VI$315.591
VT$306.851
WA$325.11–$370.832
WI$297.461
WV$283.621
WY$311.061

How the 45332 rate is calculated

Each of 45332’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 · 45332

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work1.72

1.72 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense7.43

7.43 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.22

0.22 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

9.3700

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$312.97

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 45332

The CMS indicators that decide how 45332 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 45332

Flexible sigmoidoscopy, foreign body removal

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

45332 without 51 · national office

$312.97

Flexible sigmoidoscopy, foreign body removal

45332-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$156.49

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

45332 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

5 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 45332

    Flexible sigmoidoscopy, foreign body removal1.72 wRVU

    $312.97

  • 45307

    Foreign body removal, rigid proctosigmoidoscopy1.56 wRVU

    $236.48−$76.49

  • 45330

    Flexible sigmoidoscopy, diagnostic0.82 wRVU

    $215.10−$97.87

  • 45331

    Sigmoidoscopy, with biopsy1.11 wRVU

    $322.99+$10.02

  • 45333

    Flexible sigmoidoscopy, hot biopsy forceps removal1.51 wRVU

    $368.08+$55.11

How to choose

45307Foreign body removalRigid proctosigmoidoscopy
Use 45332 when the removal is performed with a flexible sigmoidoscope; 45307 describes rigid proctosigmoidoscopy with foreign-body removal.
45330Flexible sigmoidoscopyDiagnostic
45330 is for diagnostic flexible sigmoidoscopy without a therapeutic removal. Use 45332 when the endoscopic service includes foreign-body extraction.
45331SigmoidoscopyWith biopsy
45331 describes flexible sigmoidoscopy with biopsy. It is not the code for retrieving a foreign object.
45333Flexible sigmoidoscopyHot biopsy forceps removal
45333 describes flexible sigmoidoscopy with polyp removal. Use 45332 for foreign-body extraction rather than removal of a polyp.

45332 billing questions

How does this differ from rigid proctosigmoidoscopy with foreign-body removal?

This code describes removal using a flexible sigmoidoscope. The rigid proctosigmoidoscopy code is the alternative when the documented procedure uses a rigid instrument.

Can diagnostic inspection be reported separately?

The inspection is part of the therapeutic endoscopic service when it accompanies foreign-body removal. Use a diagnostic-only code when no removal or other therapeutic service is performed.

Can a biopsy or polypectomy be reported instead?

No. Biopsy and polyp removal are distinct services with their own flexible sigmoidoscopy codes; select the code that matches the work documented.

Should modifier 50 be appended?

No. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this descriptor and anatomy.

How does Medicare price related endoscopies performed at the same session?

CMS applies endoscopy-family pricing when related endoscopies are performed together. The code has a 0-day global period, which includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care.

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 45332PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 5,500 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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