CPT code 51530: Bladder tumor excision, open cystotomy approach2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Washington, DC area

In Washington, DC area, Medicare pays $761.26 for 51530 in a facility. There’s no office rate.

Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 51530 nationwide

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

What 51530 covers

A urologist opens the bladder through an incision and directly excises a bladder tumor. This is an open operation performed in a surgical facility, with the removed tissue available for pathologic examination. It is distinct from treating a tumor endoscopically through the urethra and bladder using a cystoscope.

Report 51530 when the operative service is excision of a bladder tumor through cystotomy; the operative report should support the approach and tumor excision performed. The code has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this bladder procedure. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team-surgery payment 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.

How Washington, DC area compares for 51530

Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the facility rate for 51530 runs from $641.42 in Arkansas to $906.40 in Alaska. Washington, DC area pays $761.26. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.

Every other payment area

51530 rates by state

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

See 51530 in every payment locality

How the 51530 rate is calculated

Each of 51530’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.

Payment rules and modifiers for 51530

51530 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 51

Codes related to 51530

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

How 51530 has changed in Washington, DC area

Price 51530 for an earlier date of service

Where the Washington, DC area rate applies

Washington, DC area is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 1 cities and communities in District of Columbia. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.

• Washington

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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

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates