CPT code 51720: Bladder instillation, antineoplastic agent2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Florida
Report this service when a clinician delivers an antineoplastic agent into the bladder through a catheter for intravesical treatment, such as BCG therapy.
Medicare pays $91.07–$99.92 for 51720 in the office in Florida, from Rest of Florida to Miami, FL. 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 51720 covers
A urologist or other qualified clinician places a catheter and delivers an antineoplastic agent into the bladder, commonly in an office or outpatient setting. Intravesical BCG and chemotherapy are typical treatments for bladder cancer, including treatment after tumor resection or for carcinoma in situ. The service covers the drug’s delivery and retention in the bladder; it is distinct from endoscopic biopsy, lesion destruction, or simple bladder irrigation.
Select 51720 for the therapeutic instillation, not for catheter placement alone. Document the agent and administration details, including the retention instructions when available. The drug may be reported separately with the applicable drug code; catheter placement integral to the instillation is not separately reported as 51701. The 0-day global includes same-day preoperative and 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. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service, and co-surgeon and team-surgery billing 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 51720 pays more and less in Florida
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
3 payment localities
$91.07 to $99.92
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Lauderdale, FL | $95.60 | $41.12 |
| Miami, FL | $99.92 | $43.94 |
| Rest of Florida | $91.07 | $39.66 |
How the 51720 rate is calculated
Each of 51720’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 · 51720
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.85
0.85 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense1.79
1.79 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.11
0.11 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
2.7500
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$91.85
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 51720
The CMS indicators that decide how 51720 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 51720
Bladder instillation, antineoplastic agent
| 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
51720 without 51 · national office
$91.85
Bladder instillation, antineoplastic agent
51720-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$45.93
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%).
51720 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 51700Bladder irrigationSimple lavage or instillation
- 51700 is bladder irrigation. Use 51720 when an antineoplastic agent is delivered for therapeutic intravesical treatment, rather than when the bladder is simply irrigated.
- 51701Bladder catheterizationIn-and-out catheter
- 51701 reports catheter insertion without the therapeutic bladder instillation. Catheter placement integral to the 51720 service is not separately reported as 51701.
- 52224Bladder lesion treatmentLesions under 0.5 cm
- 52224 is an endoscopic procedure to treat a small bladder lesion. 51720 is used for delivery of an intravesical antineoplastic agent, not endoscopic lesion treatment.
51720 billing questions
How is 51720 different from bladder irrigation or catheter insertion?
51720 represents therapeutic delivery of an antineoplastic agent into the bladder. Irrigation alone or catheter placement without that treatment does not meet the service; do not separately report 51701 for catheter placement integral to the instillation.
Can the drug be billed separately?
The drug may be reported separately with its applicable HCPCS drug code when the drug was supplied and billing requirements are met. 51720 represents the instillation service.
Should modifier 50 be appended for treatment of both sides?
No. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this bladder service.
How does Medicare handle 51720 with another procedure in the same session?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures in that session are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction. Same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included in the 0-day global period.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for 51720. Co-surgeon and team-surgery billing are not permitted.
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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