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CPT code 50329: Graft reconstruction, ureteral reconstruction2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Reports reconstruction of a donor kidney graft’s ureter on the backbench before transplantation when the ureter requires operative repair.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities205 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $162.66 for 50329 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 50329

Graft reconstruction, ureteral reconstruction

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
3.26
Total RVUs
4.87
Global days
XXX

National rate · 2026

$162.66

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 50329 →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 50329 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 50329 covers

A transplant surgeon performs this work on the donor kidney outside the recipient’s body, before the graft is implanted. The service addresses reconstruction of the graft’s ureter; it is distinct from preparing the kidney’s surrounding tissues or reconstructing its artery or vein. It is generally part of the operative work surrounding a kidney transplant, rather than a procedure performed on the recipient’s native ureter.

Report 50329 when the operative record supports actual reconstruction of the donor graft’s ureter, not merely routine graft preparation. Documentation should identify the ureteral work performed and distinguish it from any preparation or reconstruction of other graft structures. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, CMS pays the highest-valued procedure in full and applies a 50% reduction to the others.

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 50329 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

50329 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$147.37
AlaskaUnavailable$206.35
ArizonaUnavailable$157.86
ArkansasUnavailable$145.54
Atlanta, GAUnavailable$168.98
Austin, TXUnavailable$161.23
Bakersfield, CAUnavailable$156.39
Baltimore area, MDUnavailable$172.88
Beaumont, TXUnavailable$158.35
Brazoria, TXUnavailable$157.20

50329 rates by state

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

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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
50329 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 50329 rate is calculated

Each of 50329’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 · 50329

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work3.26

3.26 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense0.78

0.78 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.83

0.83 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

4.8700

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$162.66

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 50329

The CMS indicators that decide how 50329 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 50329

Graft reconstruction, ureteral reconstruction

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global periodXXXThe global surgery concept doesn’t apply.
Multiple procedures2Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%.
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 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

50329 without 51 · national facility

$162.66

Graft reconstruction, ureteral reconstruction

50329-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$81.33

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%).

When to use modifier 51

50329 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

5 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 50329

    Graft reconstruction, ureteral reconstruction3.26 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 50323

    Kidney graft preparation, cadaver donor0 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 50325

    Kidney graft preparation, living donor0 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 50327

    Graft preparation, venous reconstruction3.9 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 50328

    Kidney graft prep, living donor, arterial3.41 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

50323Kidney graft preparationCadaver donor
50323 describes standard backbench preparation of a cadaveric donor kidney. Use 50329 for documented reconstruction of the graft’s ureter.
50325Kidney graft preparationLiving donor
50325 describes standard backbench preparation of a donor renal graft. 50329 identifies ureteral reconstruction rather than routine graft preparation.
50327Graft preparationVenous reconstruction
50327 is for backbench reconstruction of the renal artery. 50329 is for reconstruction of the ureter.
50328Kidney graft prepLiving donor, arterial
50328 is for backbench reconstruction of the renal vein. 50329 is for reconstruction of the ureter.

Codes related to 50329

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

Codes related to 50329
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Often billed with
50323Kidney graft preparation, cadaver donorCadaveric graft backbench preparation may occur in the same operative session.No office rate
50325Kidney graft preparation, living donorDonor graft preparation may accompany ureteral reconstruction in the same session.No office rate
50360Kidney transplant, without recipient nephrectomyRecipient renal transplant without recipient nephrectomy.No office rate
50365Kidney transplant, with recipient nephrectomyRecipient renal transplant with recipient nephrectomy.No office rate
Same family
50327Graft preparation, venous reconstructionBackbench reconstruction of a different graft structure, the renal artery.No office rate
50328Kidney graft prep, living donor, arterialBackbench reconstruction of a different graft structure, the renal vein.No office rate

50329 billing questions

How does 50329 differ from standard backbench graft preparation?

50329 identifies reconstruction of the donor graft’s ureter. Codes 50323 and 50325 describe standard backbench preparation for cadaveric and donor renal grafts, respectively; the record should support the distinct work reported.

Is this the code for reconstruction of a graft artery or vein?

No. 50329 is for ureteral reconstruction; 50327 addresses renal artery reconstruction and 50328 renal vein reconstruction.

What documentation supports reporting 50329?

The operative report should describe the ureteral reconstruction performed on the donor kidney graft before implantation. A note documenting only routine graft preparation does not establish ureteral reconstruction.

How does the multiple-procedure payment rule affect 50329?

When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, CMS pays the highest-valued procedure in full and reduces the other procedures by 50%.

Can 50329 be reported with a kidney transplant procedure?

Ureteral reconstruction is backbench work associated with preparing a graft for transplantation, while 50360 and 50365 describe recipient kidney transplant procedures. The operative documentation should support each reported service.

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 50329PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 5,900 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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