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CPT code 47550: Biliary endoscopy, intraoperative choledochoscopy2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Reports direct endoscopic inspection of the bile ducts during an operation, such as cholecystectomy with duct exploration, as an add-on to the primary procedure.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities335 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $144.96 for 47550 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 47550

Biliary endoscopy, intraoperative choledochoscopy

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
2.94
Total RVUs
4.34
Global days
ZZZ

National rate · 2026

$144.96

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 47550 →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 47550 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 47550 covers

During an operation, the surgeon passes an endoscope into the biliary tree to inspect the ducts directly. This may help assess the common bile duct when stones or another duct abnormality are suspected during gallbladder or bile duct surgery. The service is performed in the operating room as part of the operative encounter; it is not the same as imaging the ducts with contrast or endoscopy through a percutaneous access tract.

Report 47550 only with an eligible primary procedure, not as a stand-alone service. The operative report should identify the primary operation and document that biliary endoscopy was performed, including the duct examined and relevant findings. CMS treats this as an add-on paid within the primary procedure’s global period, so it does not establish a separate global period. The endoscopic inspection is distinct from the primary operation’s description; select the primary code according to the operation actually performed.

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 47550 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

47550 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$131.79
AlaskaUnavailable$184.91
ArizonaUnavailable$140.83
ArkansasUnavailable$130.21
Atlanta, GAUnavailable$150.39
Austin, TXUnavailable$143.79
Bakersfield, CAUnavailable$139.77
Baltimore area, MDUnavailable$153.83
Beaumont, TXUnavailable$141.20
Brazoria, TXUnavailable$140.32

47550 rates by state

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

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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.

View every state and territory as a table
47550 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AKNo published base rate1
ALNo published base rate1
ARNo published base rate1
AZNo published base rate1
CANo published base rate29
CONo published base rate1
CTNo published base rate1
DCNo published base rate1
DENo published base rate1
FLNo published base rate3
GANo published base rate2
GUNo published base rate1
HINo published base rate1
IANo published base rate1
IDNo published base rate1
ILNo published base rate4
INNo published base rate1
KSNo published base rate1
KYNo published base rate1
LANo published base rate2
MANo published base rate2
MDNo published base rate3
MENo published base rate2
MINo published base rate2
MNNo published base rate1
MONo published base rate3
MSNo published base rate1
MTNo published base rate1
NCNo published base rate1
NDNo published base rate1
NENo published base rate1
NHNo published base rate1
NJNo published base rate2
NMNo published base rate1
NVNo published base rate1
NYNo published base rate5
OHNo published base rate1
OKNo published base rate1
ORNo published base rate2
PANo published base rate2
PRNo published base rate1
RINo published base rate1
SCNo published base rate1
SDNo published base rate1
TNNo published base rate1
TXNo published base rate8
UTNo published base rate1
VANo published base rate2
VINo published base rate1
VTNo published base rate1
WANo published base rate2
WINo published base rate1
WVNo published base rate1
WYNo published base rate1

How the 47550 rate is calculated

Each of 47550’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 · 47550

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work2.94

2.94 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense0.69

0.69 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.71

0.71 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

4.3400

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$144.96

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 47550

The CMS indicators that decide how 47550 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 47550

Biliary endoscopy, intraoperative choledochoscopy

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global periodZZZAdd-on code: falls within the primary procedure’s global period.
Multiple procedures0No multiple-procedure reduction.
Bilateral (modifier 50)0The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)2Paid.
Co-surgeons (62)1Permitted with supporting documentation.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 80 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

47550 without 80 · national facility

$144.96

Biliary endoscopy, intraoperative choledochoscopy

47550-80 · Assistant: 16%

$23.19

A physician assistant at surgery is paid 16% of the surgeon’s fee schedule amount.

When to use modifier 80

47550 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 47550

    Biliary endoscopy, intraoperative choledochoscopy2.94 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 47563

    Laparoscopic cholecystectomy, with cholangiography11.18 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 47564

    Laparoscopic cholecystectomy, with common duct exploration17.55 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 47552

    Biliary endoscopy, diagnostic, through existing access5.88 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

47563Laparoscopic cholecystectomyWith cholangiography
47563 reports laparoscopic gallbladder removal with contrast cholangiography. Use 47550 for intraoperative endoscopic viewing of the bile ducts, not for the contrast study.
47564Laparoscopic cholecystectomyWith common duct exploration
47564 describes laparoscopic cholecystectomy with common duct exploration. 47550 is the add-on for intraoperative biliary endoscopy when performed with an eligible primary procedure.
47552Biliary endoscopyDiagnostic, through existing access
47552 describes diagnostic biliary endoscopy through percutaneous access, with specimen collection when performed. 47550 is for endoscopy during an operation.

Codes related to 47550

Related codes aren’t interchangeable: bill the code that matches the service performed.

Codes related to 47550
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Primary code
47562Laparoscopic cholecystectomy, without cholangiography or explorationLaparoscopic cholecystectomy; an eligible primary procedure for intraoperative biliary endoscopy.No office rate
47563Laparoscopic cholecystectomy, with cholangiographyLaparoscopic cholecystectomy with cholangiography; a primary procedure for the endoscopic add-on.No office rate
47564Laparoscopic cholecystectomy, with common duct explorationLaparoscopic cholecystectomy with common duct exploration; a primary procedure for the add-on.No office rate
47600Gallbladder removal, open, without cholangiographyOpen cholecystectomy; an eligible primary procedure for intraoperative biliary endoscopy.No office rate
47605Cholecystectomy, with cholangiographyOpen cholecystectomy with cholangiography; an eligible primary procedure.No office rate
47610Gallbladder surgery, common duct explorationOpen cholecystectomy with common duct exploration; an eligible primary procedure.No office rate
Used instead
47552Biliary endoscopy, diagnostic, through existing accessPercutaneous biliary endoscopy for diagnostic evaluation and specimen collection.No office rate

47550 billing questions

Can 47550 be billed by itself?

No. It is an add-on code and must be reported with an eligible primary procedure.

How is 47550 different from 47563?

47550 represents endoscopic inspection of the bile ducts during surgery. 47563 describes laparoscopic cholecystectomy with cholangiography, which uses contrast imaging rather than direct endoscopic viewing.

Does 47550 create its own global period?

No. CMS places its payment within the primary procedure’s global period; it does not establish a separate global period.

What should the operative note support?

Document the primary operation and the intraoperative endoscopic examination of the biliary tree, including the duct examined and the findings.

Is percutaneous biliary endoscopy reported with 47550?

No. 47550 is for endoscopy performed intraoperatively; percutaneous biliary endoscopy codes describe procedures through percutaneous access.

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 47550PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 5,697 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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