CPT code 50220: Kidney removal, open, nonradical removal2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Reports open removal of a kidney, with limited ureteral excision when performed, for disease managed without a more extensive complex or radical operation.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 50220 in Texas.
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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What 50220 covers
A urologist typically performs this open operation to remove a diseased or nonfunctioning kidney, sometimes taking a short portion of the ureter with it. A common clinical situation is a chronically obstructed or infected kidney that is no longer functional. The code represents a nonradical nephrectomy; the operation may be performed in a hospital operating room and is distinct from partial kidney removal or a more extensive radical procedure.
Choose the code based on the operative approach and documented extent of removal. The operative report should identify the kidney and side, describe the open removal and any ureteral excision, and establish why the operation was performed and whether its extent was complex or radical. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care. When other procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and additional procedures at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, while 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 50220 pays more and less in Texas
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
8 of 8 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Austin, TX | Unavailable | $967.63 |
| Beaumont, TX | Unavailable | $933.26 |
| Brazoria, TX | Unavailable | $943.53 |
| Dallas, TX | Unavailable | $953.32 |
| Fort Worth, TX | Unavailable | $952.11 |
| Galveston, TX | Unavailable | $948.91 |
| Houston, TX | Unavailable | $1,004.55 |
| Rest of Texas | Unavailable | $940.50 |
How the 50220 rate is calculated
Each of 50220’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 · 50220
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work18.21
18.21 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense7.59
7.59 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice3.04
3.04 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
28.8400
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$963.28
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 50220
50220 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 50220
Kidney removal, open, nonradical removal
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 090 | Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included. |
| 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) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.08/0.83/0.09 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 50220
Kidney removal, open, nonradical removal
90-day global period ends
Dec 30, 2026
Covers Sep 30, 2026 through Dec 30, 2026 (92 days, including the day before surgery).
Visit on Oct 31, 2026
Day 30 of the 90-day post-op period: related follow-up care is included in the surgical payment.
Pre-op dayGlobal period
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
50220 without 50 · national facility
$963.28
Kidney removal, open, nonradical removal
50220-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$1,444.92
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).
50220 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 50225NephrectomyComplicated removal
- 50225 represents a complicated open nephrectomy. Select it only when the operative report supports the added complexity rather than a standard nonradical removal.
- 50230Radical nephrectomyOpen, with regional or caval work
- 50230 is for radical nephrectomy. The operative extent, not merely a diagnosis of kidney cancer, distinguishes it from nonradical removal.
- 50234Kidney and ureter removalSame-incision bladder cuff
- 50234 includes removal of the entire ureter with a bladder cuff through the same incision. This code allows for limited ureteral excision with kidney removal.
- 50240Kidney surgeryOpen partial resection
- 50240 is used when part of the kidney is removed and functioning renal tissue remains; this code represents complete kidney removal.
50220 billing questions
How is this distinguished from a complex or radical nephrectomy?
Use this code for open nonradical kidney removal. The operative report should support a more complex operation or radical extent before selecting 50225 or 50230, respectively.
Can a portion of the ureter be removed with this procedure?
Yes. Limited ureteral excision may accompany the kidney removal; removal of the entire ureter with a bladder cuff points to a different nephrectomy code.
How should bilateral kidney removal be reported?
For bilateral performance, report modifier 50. CMS payment for the bilateral procedure is 150%.
Are assistant or co-surgeon services payable?
CMS permits assistant-at-surgery payment. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team-surgery payment is not permitted for this code.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during the 90 days after surgery.
How does CMS handle another procedure performed in the same session?
Under the standard multiple-procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the other procedure or procedures are paid at 50%.
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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