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CPT code 50972: Ureteroscopy, with catheter insertion2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Reports endoscopic examination of the ureter through a ureterostomy when the urologist also inserts a ureteral catheter.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities

Medicare pays $314.30 for 50972 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 50972

Ureteroscopy, with catheter insertion

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
6.71
Total RVUs
9.41
Global days
000

National rate · 2026

$314.30

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 50972 →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 50972 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 50972 covers

The urologist passes an endoscope through an existing ureterostomy to examine the ureter and inserts a ureteral catheter. The service is used when access is through the stoma rather than the urethra, such as during evaluation or management of a patient with a surgically created ureterostomy. It is performed by a urologist in an operating room or another setting equipped for endoscopic urinary tract procedures.

Select this code when the documented procedure includes both ureteroscopy through the ureterostomy and catheter insertion; a diagnostic examination alone or an added biopsy or treatment belongs to a different code in the family. The operative report should identify the route, ureter examined, catheter placement, and any additional work. CMS assigns a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When other procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others are subject to the standard multiple procedure reduction. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity; co-surgeons and team surgery are 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 50972 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

50972 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$294.05
AlaskaUnavailable$417.29
ArizonaUnavailable$308.22
ArkansasUnavailable$291.59
Atlanta, GAUnavailable$321.79
Austin, TXUnavailable$314.98
Bakersfield, CAUnavailable$313.07
Baltimore area, MDUnavailable$329.24
Beaumont, TXUnavailable$306.74
Brazoria, TXUnavailable$309.15

50972 rates by state

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

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Explore a state

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
50972 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 50972 rate is calculated

Each of 50972’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 · 50972

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work6.71

6.71 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense1.83

1.83 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.87

0.87 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

9.4100

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$314.30

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 50972

The CMS indicators that decide how 50972 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 50972

Ureteroscopy, with catheter insertion

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period000Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is included.
Multiple procedures2Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%.
Bilateral (modifier 50)1Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)0Not paid without supporting documentation.
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 50 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

50972 without 50 · national facility

$314.30

Ureteroscopy, with catheter insertion

50972-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$471.45

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).

When to use modifier 50

50972 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 50972

    Ureteroscopy, with catheter insertion6.71 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 50970

    Ureter endoscopy, endoscopic examination6.95 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 50974

    Ureteroscopy, biopsy during ureteroscopy8.93 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 50976

    Ureteroscopy, therapeutic procedure8.8 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

50970Ureter endoscopyEndoscopic examination
Choose 50970 for ureteroscopy through a ureterostomy without catheter insertion. Choose 50972 when a ureteral catheter is also inserted.
50974UreteroscopyBiopsy during ureteroscopy
50974 captures ureteroscopy through a ureterostomy with biopsy. 50972 represents catheter insertion without that biopsy service.
50976UreteroscopyTherapeutic procedure
50976 is for ureteroscopy through a ureterostomy with therapeutic work; 50972 describes catheter insertion as the additional service.

Codes related to 50972

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

Codes related to 50972
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
50970Ureter endoscopy, endoscopic examinationUreteroscopy through a ureterostomy without the catheter insertion described by 50972.No office rate
50974Ureteroscopy, biopsy during ureteroscopyUreteroscopy through a ureterostomy with biopsy.No office rate
50976Ureteroscopy, therapeutic procedureUreteroscopy through a ureterostomy with therapeutic work.No office rate

50972 billing questions

When should I choose 50972 instead of 50970?

Use 50972 when ureteroscopy through a ureterostomy includes insertion of a ureteral catheter. Use 50970 for the endoscopic service without catheter insertion.

Can a biopsy or ureteral treatment be included in 50972?

When the procedure includes biopsy or a separately defined therapeutic service, select the applicable code for that work rather than treating 50972 as a general ureteroscopy code. The operative report should make the work performed clear.

How is bilateral 50972 reported?

Report bilateral performance with modifier 50. CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.

Does the 0-day global period include same-day care?

Yes. Same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included in the procedure's 0-day global period.

Can an assistant surgeon be paid for 50972?

Assistant-at-surgery payment is available only when medical necessity is documented. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.

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 50972PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 6,011 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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