CPT code 46916: Anal lesion treatment, cryosurgery, simple lesions2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $254.18 for 46916 nationally in the office and $122.25 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $224.80–$339.85.

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

What 46916 covers

Code 46916 represents destruction of one or more anal lesions by freezing, most commonly anal condylomata. A colorectal or general surgeon typically applies a cryogenic agent to the lesion or lesions in an office procedure room or a facility setting. The code is distinguished by the cryosurgical method and simple treatment level, rather than extensive destruction.

Report it when the clinician documents cryosurgery and an extent consistent with simple treatment. The record should identify the treated lesion(s), anal site, method, and extent. The 10-day global period includes related postoperative visits during that period. When multiple procedures subject to the standard reduction are performed in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate; assistant-at-surgery payment is barred by statutory restriction, 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 46916 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

46916 rates by state

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

How the 46916 rate is calculated

Each of 46916’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 46916

46916 has a 10-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

46916 compared with similar codes

How to choose

46900Anal lesion destructionSimple lesions

Choose 46900 for simple chemical destruction of anal lesions; 46916 is for simple destruction by freezing.

46910Anal lesion destructionExtensive lesions

Choose 46910 for simple electrosurgical destruction. Use 46916 when cryosurgery is the documented method.

46924Anal lesion destructionExtensive treatment

46924 represents extensive anal lesion destruction; 46916 represents simple cryosurgical treatment.

46922Anal lesion excisionOne or more lesions

46922 is for excision, which removes lesion tissue. Code 46916 describes destruction by freezing.

Codes related to 46916

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