CPT code 51990: Urethral suspension, laparoscopic approach2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Washington, DC area

In Washington, DC area, Medicare pays $732.79 for 51990 in a facility. There’s no office rate.

Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 51990 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 51990 covers

51990 describes laparoscopic suspension of urethral support tissues to treat stress urinary incontinence, commonly using a Burch-type colposuspension. Through abdominal ports, the surgeon places sutures in tissue beside the urethra and secures it to pelvic support structures, elevating support at the bladder neck. Urologists and urogynecologists typically perform the procedure in an operating room under anesthesia for patients with leakage during coughing, exertion, or sneezing.

Select this code for laparoscopic urethral suspension, not a laparoscopic graft or synthetic sling operation (51992). The operative report should establish the laparoscopic approach, suspension technique, and tissues fixed. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care through day 90. When other procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and additional procedures are subject to the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction. Do not use modifier 50; this is a single suspension service, not a paired-side procedure. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; 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.

How Washington, DC area compares for 51990

Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the facility rate for 51990 runs from $618.13 in Arkansas to $874.60 in Alaska. Washington, DC area pays $732.79. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.

Every other payment area

51990 rates by state

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

See 51990 in every payment locality

How the 51990 rate is calculated

Each of 51990’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 51990

51990 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 51990

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

How 51990 has changed in Washington, DC area

Price 51990 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