CPT code 50949: Laparoscopic ureter surgery, unlisted procedure2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Maryland
Reports laparoscopic ureter surgery when no specific CPT procedure code describes the operative service performed.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 50949 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 50949 covers
50949 identifies an unlisted laparoscopic operation involving the ureter when no named CPT code describes the operative service. A surgeon, commonly a urologist, may report it for laparoscopic ureteral work that is not represented by a more specific code. It is not a code for ureter evaluation alone or for a procedure that has its own applicable code. These operations are performed in surgical settings, commonly hospitals.
Medicare assigns physician fee schedule status C: CMS publishes no national payment, and the Medicare Administrative Contractor sets payment for each claim. The contractor also determines the global period. Medicare's bilateral procedure rule uses modifier 50, and its standard multiple-procedure reduction applies when procedures are performed in the same session.
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 50949 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 50949 rate is calculated
Each of 50949’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 · 50949
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 50949
The CMS indicators that decide how 50949 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 50949
Laparoscopic ureter surgery, 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
50949 without 50 · national facility
$0.00
Laparoscopic ureter surgery, unlisted procedure
50949-50 · 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).
50949 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 50945UreterolithotomyLaparoscopic approach
- 50945 describes laparoscopic ureterolithotomy. Use 50949 only when no specific code describes the laparoscopic ureter procedure performed.
- 50947Ureteral reimplantationLaparoscopic approach
- 50947 is a listed laparoscopic ureter-to-bladder procedure code. Report it when it describes the operation rather than using the unlisted code.
- 50948Ureteral reimplantationLaparoscopic, with bladder flap
- 50948 is another listed laparoscopic ureter-to-bladder procedure code. Select it when it describes the operation; use 50949 for a different procedure without a specific code.
- 50900Ureter repairDirect suture repair
- 50900 describes ureter repair. Consider it when the service matches that repair; 50949 is for laparoscopic ureter work without a specific CPT procedure code.
50949 billing questions
When should 50949 be used instead of a named laparoscopic ureter code?
Use 50949 when no specific CPT code describes the laparoscopic ureter operation performed. If a listed code describes the service, such as ureterolithotomy, report that code instead.
What documentation should support 50949?
The operative report should describe the ureteral problem, laparoscopic approach, and work performed, and explain why a listed procedure code does not describe the operation.
Who sets Medicare payment and the global period?
The Medicare Administrative Contractor sets payment for each claim and determines the global period. CMS publishes no national payment for this status C code.
How should bilateral work be reported?
Medicare's bilateral procedure rule uses modifier 50. The operative report should make clear when the service was performed on both ureters.
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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