CPT code 47539: Biliary stent, new percutaneous access2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Illinois
Reports percutaneous placement of a biliary stent when the service requires creating new access to the bile ducts rather than using existing access.
Medicare pays $3,673.05–$4,098.56 for 47539 in the office in Illinois, from Rest of Illinois to Suburban Chicago, IL. Which amount applies depends on the service address.
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 47539 covers
An interventional radiologist typically uses image guidance to establish percutaneous access to the biliary system and place a stent to relieve an obstructed or narrowed bile duct. This approach may be used for biliary obstruction associated with a stricture or tumor. The defining distinction from 47538 is that this service involves new access, rather than an already established biliary access route. Imaging guidance and related work integral to stent placement are part of the service.
Report 47539 for the stent placement through newly created percutaneous access; documentation should identify the access route and the stent procedure performed. The code has a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When multiple procedures are performed in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code, and co-surgeon and team-surgery reporting 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 47539 pays more and less in Illinois
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
4 payment localities
$3673.05 to $4098.56
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | $4,035.46 | $411.80 |
| East St. Louis, IL | $3,713.55 | $396.37 |
| Rest of Illinois | $3,673.05 | $381.12 |
| Suburban Chicago, IL | $4,098.56 | $395.58 |
How the 47539 rate is calculated
Each of 47539’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 · 47539
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work8.53
8.53 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense109.41
109.41 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.99
0.99 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
118.9300
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$3,972.37
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 47539
The CMS indicators that decide how 47539 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 47539
Biliary stent, new percutaneous access
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 000 | Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is included. |
| Multiple procedures | 2 | Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 1 | Not paid (statutory restriction). |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
47539 without 51 · national office
$3,972.37
Biliary stent, new percutaneous access
47539-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$1,986.19
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%).
47539 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 47538Biliary stentInitial duct
- Choose 47539 when the procedure establishes new percutaneous access for stent placement. Choose 47538 when the operator uses existing access.
- 47540Biliary stentPercutaneous placement
- 47539 represents the primary stent-placement service through new access. 47540 is reported for each additional stent when applicable.
- 47533Biliary drainageExternal catheter
- 47533 reports placement of a biliary drainage catheter. 47539 reports placement of a biliary stent.
- 47534Biliary drainageInternal-external catheter
- 47534 reports placement of an internal-external biliary drainage catheter; 47539 is for biliary stent placement through new access.
47539 billing questions
How does 47539 differ from 47538?
47539 describes biliary stent placement through newly created percutaneous access. Use 47538 when the stent is placed through existing access.
Can diagnostic cholangiography be billed separately?
Diagnostic cholangiography performed as part of the stent-placement service is included. Do not report it separately for that integral work.
When is 47540 reported with 47539?
47540 is the add-on code for each additional biliary stent when applicable. Report it with the appropriate primary stent-placement code, not by itself.
Can modifier 50 be used for bilateral stent placement?
No. The CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply to 47539, and modifier 50 is inappropriate.
What documentation supports 47539?
Document that new percutaneous access was established, the biliary stent placement performed, and the clinical indication, such as biliary obstruction or narrowing.
How does the 0-day global period affect same-day care?
Same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included in the procedure's 0-day global period.
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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