CPT code 51555: Partial cystectomy, complicated procedure2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $1,129.28 for 51555 nationally in a facility.

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

What 51555 covers

A urologist reports this service when surgery removes part of the bladder in a complicated partial cystectomy, such as resection of a localized bladder tumor that requires a technically involved bladder-wall removal. The operation is generally performed in a hospital operating room. The operative report should establish that the surgeon removed only part of the bladder and explain the complexity of the resection; the diagnosis alone does not distinguish this service from a simpler partial cystectomy.

Select this code based on the documented procedure and complexity, not merely the presence or size of a tumor. When the operation includes ureteral reimplantation, compare the code for partial cystectomy with that additional feature. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made; 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 51555 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

51555 rates by state

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

How the 51555 rate is calculated

Each of 51555’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 51555

51555 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

51555 compared with similar codes

How to choose

51550Partial cystectomySimple excision

51550 describes a simple partial cystectomy. Choose 51555 when the operative documentation supports a complicated partial resection.

51565Bladder surgeryPartial excision with ureteral reimplantation

51565 is the partial cystectomy code that includes ureteral reimplantation. Use it when the operative report documents that work.

51570CystectomyComplete excision, separate procedure

51570 describes removal of the entire bladder. This code is for removal of only part of the bladder.

51530Bladder tumor excisionOpen cystotomy approach

51530 describes bladder tumor excision through cystotomy; it is not the partial cystectomy service reported for removal of a portion of the bladder.

Codes related to 51555

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

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