CPT code 47620: Gallbladder surgery, duct exploration with enteric bypass2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in California

CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 47620 in California.

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

What 47620 covers

This open operation removes the gallbladder, explores the common bile duct, and creates a connection between the bile duct and intestine to provide drainage. General or hepatobiliary surgeons may perform it for complex biliary disease, such as duct obstruction or a stricture requiring a bypass, in a hospital operating room. The operative report should establish that all three parts of the procedure were performed; gallbladder removal or duct exploration alone does not describe this service.

Report the combined procedure when the documented work includes cholecystectomy, common duct exploration, and choledochoenterostomy. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during the 90 days after surgery. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is 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 47620 pays more and less in California

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

29 of 29 payment localities

How the 47620 rate is calculated

Each of 47620’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 47620

47620 has a 90-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

47620 compared with similar codes

How to choose

47600Gallbladder removalOpen, without cholangiography

47600 describes cholecystectomy alone. Choose 47620 when the surgeon also explores the common duct and creates a choledochoenterostomy.

47605CholecystectomyWith cholangiography

47605 adds cholangiography to cholecystectomy. It does not describe the duct exploration and enteric bypass combination reported with 47620.

47610Gallbladder surgeryCommon duct exploration

47610 includes common duct exploration with cholecystectomy. 47620 additionally requires a choledochoenterostomy.

47612Gallbladder surgeryWith duct exploration and reconstruction

47612 describes duct exploration with cholecystectomy and cholangiography. 47620 is distinguished by the choledochoenterostomy.

Codes related to 47620

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