CPT code 51050: Bladder stone removal, open cystolithotomy2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Georgia
Open cystolithotomy removes a calculus from the bladder when the surgeon uses an open approach rather than endoscopic fragmentation and extraction.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 51050 in Georgia.
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 51050 covers
This procedure removes a bladder calculus through an open incision into the bladder. Urologists typically perform it in a hospital operating room when an open approach is selected to remove the stone; endoscopic litholapaxy is a different method. The operative report should identify the bladder stone and describe the incision and removal performed.
Report the service for open removal of a bladder calculus, not for endoscopic fragmentation and extraction. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When other 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. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and 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 51050 pays more and less in Georgia
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta, GA | Unavailable | $443.69 |
| Rest of Georgia | Unavailable | $425.17 |
How the 51050 rate is calculated
Each of 51050’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 · 51050
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work7.77
7.77 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense4.21
4.21 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.01
1.01 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
12.9900
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$433.88
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 51050
51050 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 51050
Bladder stone removal, open cystolithotomy
| 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) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| 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 · 51050
Bladder stone removal, open cystolithotomy
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 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
51050 without 51 · national facility
$433.88
Bladder stone removal, open cystolithotomy
51050-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$216.94
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%).
51050 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 52317Bladder stone removalSmall or simple calculus
- Choose 51050 for open removal through a bladder incision. Choose 52317 when the stone is fragmented and extracted endoscopically.
- 52318Bladder stone removalLarge or complicated stone
- 51050 describes open bladder stone removal; 52318 describes endoscopic litholapaxy for a larger or more complex stone burden.
- 51060UreterolithotomyOpen ureteral incision
- 51050 removes a calculus from the bladder. 51060 is for open removal of a calculus from the ureter.
51050 billing questions
How does this differ from endoscopic bladder stone treatment?
51050 represents open removal through an incision into the bladder. Endoscopic litholapaxy codes 52317 and 52318 describe fragmentation and extraction through a cystoscope.
What documentation supports reporting 51050?
The operative report should document the bladder calculus, the open cystotomy approach, and removal of the stone. It should distinguish the service from endoscopic fragmentation and extraction.
Can modifier 50 be appended?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code.
How does the global period affect postoperative billing?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
How are other procedures in the same session paid?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple procedure reduction. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation.
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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