CPT code 50980: Ureter endoscopy, therapeutic procedure2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Baltimore area, MD

Reports endoscopic treatment within the ureter, selected when the operative record documents a therapeutic procedure rather than diagnostic inspection alone.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026One payment locality

In Baltimore area, MD, Medicare pays $327.11 for 50980 in a facility. There’s no office rate.

Not available in this settingOffice (non-facility)
$327.11Hospital or facility

Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 50980 nationwide

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

We’ll open 50980 for the payment locality that covers the ZIP.

On this page 11 sections
  1. Rate in Baltimore area, MD
  2. What 50980 covers
  3. Compared with other areas
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Related codes
  8. Rate history
  9. Where it applies
  10. Billing questions
  11. Sources

What 50980 covers

A urologist uses an endoscope to inspect the ureter and treat an identified ureteral condition during the same procedure. The operative report should make clear that treatment was performed, not merely that the ureter was examined. This service is typically performed in a procedural or operating-room setting; the specific treatment and ureteral site should be documented.

Select this code when the documented service matches its therapeutic endoscopy scope, rather than a diagnostic-only or biopsy service. Record the treated finding, the work performed, and the side involved. CMS assigns a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. 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 multiple-procedure reduction. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of 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.

How Baltimore area, MD compares for 50980

Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the facility rate for 50980 runs from $289.75 in Nebraska to $414.74 in Alaska. Baltimore area, MD pays $327.11. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.

50980 in Baltimore area, MD vs other payment areas
  1. Baltimore area, MD · this page$327.11
  2. Rest of Maryland · Maryland$312.90−$14.21
  3. Los Angeles, CA · California$322.91−$4.20
  4. Washington, DC area · District of Columbia$338.40+$11.29
  5. Miami, FL · Florida$358.71+$31.60
  6. Chicago, IL · Illinois$351.36+$24.25
  7. Manhattan, NY · New York$353.24+$26.13

Other areas in Maryland first, then benchmark localities. Bars start at $0.

Every other payment area

50980 in every other Medicare payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlaskaAlaska—$414.74
AlabamaAlabama—$292.23
ArkansasArkansas—$289.80
ArizonaArizona—$306.28
Bakersfield, CACalifornia—$311.14
Chico, CACalifornia—$308.59
El Centro, CACalifornia—$308.74
Fresno, CACalifornia—$308.59

50980 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.

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50980 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

See 50980 in every payment locality

How the 50980 rate is calculated

Each of 50980’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 · 50980

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work6.67

6.67 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense1.82

1.82 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.86

0.86 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

9.3500

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$312.30

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

The exact Baltimore area, MD inputs and CMS source lines

PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv

6,014

Code
50980
Physician work
6.67
Practice expense
1.82
Malpractice
0.86

GPCI2026.csv

60

Locality
Baltimore area, MD
Physician work
1.016
Practice expense
1.073
Malpractice
1.237
Facility calculation for 50980 in Baltimore area, MD
ComponentRVULocality factorAdjusted
Physician work6.67× 1.0166.7767
Practice expense1.82× 1.0731.9529
Malpractice0.86× 1.2371.0638
Total RVUs9.7934
Conversion factor× 33.4009

Facility rate, Baltimore area, MD$327.11

Facility: (6.67 × 1.016 + 1.82 × 1.073 + 0.86 × 1.237) × $33.4009 = $327.11

Open 50980 in the RVU calculator

Payment rules and modifiers for 50980

The CMS indicators that decide how 50980 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 50980

Ureter endoscopy, therapeutic procedure

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

50980 without 50 · national facility

$312.30

Ureter endoscopy, therapeutic procedure

50980-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$468.45

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

How 50980 has changed in Baltimore area, MD

50980 · Office / nonfacility

Rate unavailable

Effective 2026-10-01

A rate is unavailable in one of these releases, so a change cannot be calculated.

Base rate by release · bars start at $0 · select a bar to compare

One bar per available release, ordered by effective date. Missing rates remain gaps. These comparisons hold the code, setting and locality identifiers constant; they do not isolate which policy or input caused a change.

What changed, release by release
Rates in every CMS release
Effective fromOfficeFacilityCMS release
2026-10-01Not available in this setting$327.11RVU26D
2026-07-01Not available in this setting$327.11RVU26C
2026-04-01Not available in this setting$327.11RVU26B
2026-01-01Not available in this setting$327.11RVU26A
2025-10-01Not available in this setting$360.82RVU25D
2025-07-01Not available in this setting$360.82RVU25C
2025-04-01Not available in this setting$360.82RVU25B
2025-01-01Not available in this setting$360.82RVU25A
2024-10-01Not available in this setting$369.24RVU24D
2024-07-01Not available in this setting$369.24RVU24C
2024-04-01Not available in this setting$369.24RVU24B
2024-03-09Not available in this setting$369.24RVU24AR
2024-01-01Not available in this setting$363.21RVU24A
2023-10-01Not available in this setting$374.34RVU23D
2023-07-01Not available in this setting$374.34RVU23C
2023-04-01Not available in this setting$374.34RVU23B
2023-01-01Not available in this setting$374.34RVU23A
2022-10-01Not available in this setting$381.94RVU22D
2022-07-01Not available in this setting$381.94RVU22C
2022-04-01Not available in this setting$381.94RVU22B
2022-01-01Not available in this setting$381.94RVU22A
2021-10-01Not available in this setting$383.58RVU21D
2021-07-01Not available in this setting$383.58RVU21C
2021-04-01Not available in this setting$383.58RVU21B
2021-01-01Not available in this setting$383.58RVU21A
2020-10-01Not available in this setting$395.57RVU20D
2020-07-01Not available in this setting$395.57RVU20C
2020-04-01Not available in this setting$395.57RVU20B
2020-01-01Not available in this setting$395.57RVU20A
2019-10-01Not available in this setting$394.52RVU19D
2019-07-01Not available in this setting$394.52RVU19C
2019-04-01Not available in this setting$394.52RVU19B
2019-01-01Not available in this setting$394.52RVU19A
2018-10-01Not available in this setting$396.13RVU18D
2018-07-01Not available in this setting$396.13RVU18C
2018-04-01Not available in this setting$396.13RVU18B
2018-01-01Not available in this setting$396.13RVU18AR1
2017-10-01Not available in this setting$391.44RVU17D
2017-07-01Not available in this setting$391.44RVU17C
2017-04-01Not available in this setting$391.44RVU17B
2017-01-01Not available in this setting$391.44RVU17A
2016-10-01Not available in this setting$385.15RVU16D
2016-07-01Not available in this setting$385.15RVU16C
2016-04-01Not available in this setting$385.15RVU16B
2016-01-01Not available in this setting$385.15RVU16A
2015-10-01Not available in this setting$389.36RVU15D
2015-07-01Not available in this setting$389.36RVU15C
2015-04-01Not available in this setting$387.43RVU15B
2015-01-01Not available in this setting$387.43RVU15A
2014-10-01Not available in this setting$382.20RVU14D
2014-07-01Not available in this setting$382.20RVU14C
2014-04-01Not available in this setting$382.20RVU14B
2014-01-01Not available in this setting$382.20RVU14A
2013-10-01Not available in this setting$369.06RVU13D
2013-07-01Not available in this setting$369.06RVU13C
2013-04-01Not available in this setting$369.06RVU13B
2013-01-01Not available in this setting$369.06RVU13AR

Price 50980 for an earlier date of service

Where the Baltimore area, MD rate applies

Baltimore area, MD is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 100 cities and communities in Maryland. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.

  • Baltimore
  • Aberdeen
  • Aberdeen Proving Ground
  • Abingdon
  • Annapolis
  • Annapolis Neck
  • Arbutus
  • Arden on the Severn

Browse all communities in Maryland

50980 billing questions

When is this code selected instead of diagnostic ureter endoscopy?

Use this code when the operative record documents treatment performed during ureter endoscopy. Diagnostic inspection alone is represented by a diagnostic endoscopy code.

How does this differ from ureter endoscopy with biopsy?

Choose the biopsy code when tissue sampling is the documented service. This code represents therapeutic ureter endoscopy, not biopsy alone.

What documentation supports reporting this code?

The operative report should identify the ureteral finding, the treatment actually performed, and the side treated. Documentation of endoscopic visualization alone does not establish a therapeutic service.

How are same-session procedures paid?

CMS pays the highest-valued procedure in full and applies the standard multiple-procedure reduction to the others. Same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included in this code's 0-day global period.

Can modifier 50 be reported for bilateral treatment?

CMS identifies this as a bilateral procedure; bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. The record should support treatment on both sides.

When is an assistant-at-surgery service payable?

CMS pays an assistant at surgery only when documentation supports medical necessity. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted for this code.

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 50980PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 6,014 (RVU26D)
Geographic factors for Baltimore area, MDGPCI2026.csv, line 60 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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