CPT code 47579: Unlisted biliary laparoscopy, unlisted procedure2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Maryland
Report this code for laparoscopic surgery involving the biliary tract when no more specific CPT code describes the procedure performed.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 47579 in Maryland.
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 47579 covers
This unlisted code identifies laparoscopic surgery on the biliary tract that is not represented by a more specific CPT procedure code. A surgeon reports it for operative work performed through laparoscopic access when the documented service does not match a defined biliary procedure. It is not the code for a routine laparoscopic gallbladder removal, with or without cholangiography, or with common bile duct exploration; those procedures have specific codes.
Medicare assigns this CPT Category I code physician fee schedule status C, or carrier priced. CMS publishes no national payment, and the Medicare Administrative Contractor sets payment for each claim. The contractor also sets the global period. Standard multiple-procedure reduction applies when qualifying procedures are performed in the same session. The operative report should clearly describe the laparoscopic technique, biliary anatomy treated, and work performed so the contractor can assess the unlisted service.
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 47579 pays more and less in Maryland
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore area, MD | Unavailable | Unavailable |
| Rest of Maryland | Unavailable | Unavailable |
| Washington, DC area | Unavailable | Unavailable |
How the 47579 rate is calculated
Each of 47579’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 · 47579
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.00
0.00 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense0.00
0.00 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.00
0.00 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
0.0000
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$0.00
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 47579
The CMS indicators that decide how 47579 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 47579
Unlisted biliary laparoscopy, unlisted procedure
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | YYY | The Medicare contractor sets the global period. |
| Multiple procedures | 2 | Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 1 | Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 2 | Paid. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| Team surgery (66) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
47579 without 50 · national facility
$0.00
Unlisted biliary laparoscopy, unlisted procedure
47579-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$0.00
Both sides on one line with modifier 50 are paid at 150% of the fee schedule amount (subject to multiple-procedure rules with other procedures).
47579 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 47562Laparoscopic cholecystectomyWithout cholangiography or exploration
- 47562 describes laparoscopic gallbladder removal. Use 47579 only when the biliary operation performed is not represented by a specific code.
- 47563Laparoscopic cholecystectomyWith cholangiography
- 47563 applies to laparoscopic gallbladder removal with cholangiography; it is not a general code for unlisted biliary work.
- 47564Laparoscopic cholecystectomyWith common duct exploration
- 47564 describes laparoscopic gallbladder removal with common bile duct exploration. A different laparoscopic biliary operation may require 47579 if no specific code fits.
- 47553Biliary endoscopyWith biopsy
- 47553 describes biliary endoscopy through a percutaneous approach. Code 47579 is for an unlisted laparoscopic procedure, not that defined endoscopic service.
47579 billing questions
When should 47579 be used instead of a specific laparoscopic biliary code?
Use it only when no specific CPT code describes the laparoscopic biliary procedure performed. Select a defined code when the operation is a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, with or without the additional work described by that code.
Can 47579 be used for a routine laparoscopic cholecystectomy?
No. Use the specific cholecystectomy code that matches the operation, including whether cholangiography or common bile duct exploration was performed.
What documentation supports an unlisted-code claim?
The operative report should identify the laparoscopic approach, the biliary anatomy treated, the steps performed, and why a specific CPT procedure code does not describe the service.
How does Medicare price 47579?
It has physician fee schedule status C: CMS publishes no national payment, and the Medicare Administrative Contractor sets payment for each claim.
Who sets the global period for this code?
The Medicare contractor sets the global period for 47579.
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.
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