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CPT code 51575: Bladder removal, with bilateral node dissection2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Reports complete bladder removal with bilateral pelvic lymph-node dissection, typically during surgery for bladder cancer when the documented reconstruction matches this code.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities61 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $1,609.26 for 51575 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 51575

Bladder removal, with bilateral node dissection

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
33.33
Total RVUs
48.18
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$1,609.26

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 51575 →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 51575 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 51575 covers

A urologic surgeon removes the bladder and dissects pelvic lymph nodes on both sides, including the external iliac, hypogastric, and obturator groups. This operation is commonly performed for bladder cancer in a facility setting. The code distinguishes this combination of bladder removal and bilateral node dissection from cystectomy codes that also include a specified urinary diversion or reconstruction.

Report the code when the operative note supports complete bladder removal and bilateral dissection of the specified pelvic node groups. Documentation should identify the extent of the cystectomy, the nodes dissected, and any urinary diversion performed so the appropriate cystectomy code can be selected. Medicare assigns 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. The code is priced as bilateral, so modifier 50 does not increase payment. Assistant-at-surgery services 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 51575 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

51575 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$1,503.08
AlaskaUnavailable$2,124.64
ArizonaUnavailable$1,577.73
ArkansasUnavailable$1,490.14
Atlanta, GAUnavailable$1,646.98
Austin, TXUnavailable$1,615.66
Bakersfield, CAUnavailable$1,608.40
Baltimore area, MDUnavailable$1,686.72
Beaumont, TXUnavailable$1,567.33
Brazoria, TXUnavailable$1,583.53

51575 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.

View every state and territory as a table
51575 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 51575 rate is calculated

Each of 51575’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 · 51575

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work33.33

33.33 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense10.57

10.57 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice4.28

4.28 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

48.1800

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$1,609.26

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 51575

51575 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 51575

Bladder removal, with bilateral node dissection

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period090Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included.
Multiple procedures2Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%.
Bilateral (modifier 50)2Already bilateral by definition: paid once at 100%.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)2Paid.
Co-surgeons (62)1Permitted with supporting documentation.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.08/0.83/0.09Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 51575

Bladder removal, with bilateral node dissection

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.

  • 24Unrelated E/M visit by the same physician
  • 79Unrelated procedure (starts its own global period)
  • 58Staged, more extensive, or therapy procedure that was planned
  • 78Unplanned return to the operating room for a related complication
SurgeryVisit
Sep 23, 2026Jan 10, 2027

Pre-op dayGlobal period

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

51575 without 51 · national facility

$1,609.26

Bladder removal, with bilateral node dissection

51575-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$804.63

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%).

When to use modifier 51

51575 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 51575

    Bladder removal, with bilateral node dissection33.33 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 51570

    Cystectomy, complete excision, separate procedure26.77 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 51585

    Cystectomy, nodes and ureteral diversion38.65 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 51595

    Bladder removal, continent intestinal reservoir40.29 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

51570CystectomyComplete excision, separate procedure
51570 describes complete bladder removal without bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy. Choose 51575 when the operative report documents the bilateral node dissection.
51585CystectomyNodes and ureteral diversion
51585 includes bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy plus ureterosigmoidostomy or ureterostomy. Use 51575 when that specified diversion is not part of the reported procedure.
51595Bladder removalContinent intestinal reservoir
51595 includes bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy and an ileal conduit or sigmoid bladder reconstruction. Use 51575 when the procedure does not include that reconstruction.

Codes related to 51575

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

Codes related to 51575
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
51570Cystectomy, complete excision, separate procedureComplete cystectomy without the bilateral pelvic lymph-node dissection represented by 51575.No office rate
Used instead
51580Complete cystectomy, ureterostomy or ureterosigmoidostomyComplete cystectomy with ureterosigmoidostomy or ureterostomy, without the bilateral node dissection in 51575.No office rate
51585Cystectomy, nodes and ureteral diversionAdds ureterosigmoidostomy or ureterostomy to complete cystectomy with bilateral pelvic node dissection.No office rate
51590Bladder removal, cutaneous urinary diversionComplete cystectomy with ileal conduit or sigmoid bladder, without the bilateral node dissection in 51575.No office rate
51595Bladder removal, continent intestinal reservoirCombines bilateral pelvic node dissection with complete cystectomy and ileal conduit or sigmoid bladder.No office rate

51575 billing questions

When should 51575 be selected instead of 51570?

Use 51575 when the complete cystectomy includes bilateral pelvic lymph-node dissection. Code 51570 describes complete bladder removal without that bilateral node dissection.

Does 51575 include urinary diversion?

The distinguishing work in 51575 is complete bladder removal with bilateral pelvic node dissection. When the operation includes a specified diversion, select the cystectomy code that represents that reconstruction.

Should modifier 50 be appended for the bilateral node dissection?

The code is already priced as bilateral, and modifier 50 does not increase payment.

Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be reported?

Assistant-at-surgery services may be paid. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; team surgery is not permitted.

What postoperative care is included in the global period?

The 90-day global includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.

How is 51575 affected when other procedures occur in the same session?

The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction.

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 51575PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 6,035 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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