CPT code 51705: Catheter exchange, simple cystostomy tube change2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Reports a routine exchange of an existing suprapubic bladder tube through an established tract when the change is simple.
Medicare pays $94.82–$104.74 for 51705 in the office in Texas, from Beaumont, TX to Austin, TX. Which amount applies depends on the service address.
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 51705 covers
This service covers replacing an existing cystostomy tube through an established suprapubic tract, rather than creating a new tract or placing a urethral catheter. A urologist or other qualified practitioner commonly performs the exchange in an office, clinic, or facility for a patient who requires ongoing bladder drainage. The procedure is simple when the existing tract allows a straightforward tube exchange without circumstances that make the change complicated.
Report one service for the exchange, supported by documentation identifying the existing tube, its removal and replacement, and the clinical circumstances showing a simple change. Use 51710 when the cystostomy tube change is complicated. The 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care. If other procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service; 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.
Where 51705 pays more and less in Texas
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
8 payment localities
$94.82 to $104.74
8 of 8 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Austin, TX | $104.74 | $47.49 |
| Beaumont, TX | $94.82 | $45.58 |
| Brazoria, TX | $99.95 | $46.33 |
| Dallas, TX | $100.63 | $46.74 |
| Fort Worth, TX | $100.00 | $46.65 |
| Galveston, TX | $100.28 | $46.55 |
| Houston, TX | $102.47 | $48.74 |
| Rest of Texas | $97.36 | $46.01 |
How the 51705 rate is calculated
Each of 51705’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 · 51705
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.88
0.88 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense2.03
2.03 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.12
0.12 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
3.0300
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$101.20
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 51705
The CMS indicators that decide how 51705 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 51705
Catheter exchange, simple cystostomy tube change
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 000 | Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is 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) | 1 | Not paid (statutory restriction). |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
51705 without 51 · national office
$101.20
Catheter exchange, simple cystostomy tube change
51705-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$50.60
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%).
51705 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 51710Tube changeComplicated cystostomy exchange
- Both concern changing an existing cystostomy tube. Choose 51705 for a simple exchange and 51710 when the exchange is complicated.
- 51702Bladder catheterTemporary indwelling placement
- 51702 places an indwelling catheter through the urethra; 51705 exchanges an existing tube through a suprapubic cystostomy tract.
- 51703Bladder catheterComplicated insertion
- 51703 describes complex catheter insertion. It is not the code for a straightforward exchange of an established suprapubic tube.
51705 billing questions
When should 51705 be chosen over 51710?
Use 51705 for a straightforward exchange through an established suprapubic tract. Use 51710 when the documented tube change is complicated.
Does 51705 cover both removal and replacement of the tube?
Yes. The service is the exchange of the existing cystostomy tube, including removing the old tube and placing its replacement.
What documentation supports 51705?
Document the existing suprapubic tube, its removal and replacement, and why the exchange was a simple change through the established tract.
Should modifier 50 be reported for bilateral tubes?
No. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this service.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be billed for 51705?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
How many units should be reported for one tube exchange?
Report one service for the exchange; do not separately count removal and replacement as separate units.
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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