CPT code 52270: Urethrotomy, female urethra2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Endoscopic incision of a narrowed female urethra is reported when the urologist treats a urethral stricture by cutting the obstructing scar tissue.
Medicare pays $373.96–$414.39 for 52270 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 52270 covers
A urologist uses a cystourethroscope to reach a narrowed segment of the female urethra and incise scar tissue to open the passage. The procedure is used for a urethral stricture causing symptoms such as difficult urination or reduced urinary flow. It is typically performed in an operating room or procedural setting, with the approach documented in the operative report.
Report 52270 for the female urethral internal incision, not for dilation alone or an incision at the urethral opening. Documentation should identify the stricture, its location, and the incision performed. The code has a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When related endoscopies are performed together, endoscopy family pricing applies. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. 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 52270 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
$373.96 to $414.39
8 of 8 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Austin, TX | $414.39 | $162.78 |
| Beaumont, TX | $373.96 | $157.55 |
| Brazoria, TX | $395.04 | $159.37 |
| Dallas, TX | $397.65 | $160.79 |
| Fort Worth, TX | $395.08 | $160.59 |
| Galveston, TX | $396.28 | $160.13 |
| Houston, TX | $404.15 | $168.00 |
| Rest of Texas | $384.35 | $158.66 |
How the 52270 rate is calculated
Each of 52270’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 · 52270
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work3.28
3.28 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense8.26
8.26 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.43
0.43 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
11.9700
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$399.81
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 52270
The CMS indicators that decide how 52270 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 52270
Urethrotomy, female urethra
| 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 | 3 | Endoscopy family rules apply. |
| 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
52270 without 51 · national office
$399.81
Urethrotomy, female urethra
52270-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$199.91
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%).
52270 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 52276Urethral stricture treatmentDirect-vision incision
- 52270 is specific to internal urethrotomy in the female urethra. 52276 identifies direct-vision internal urethrotomy; use the code that matches the documented procedure.
- 52281Urethral dilationCystoscopic stricture treatment
- 52281 describes calibration or dilation of a urethral stricture or stenosis. 52270 is for incision of the narrowed segment.
- 52275UrethrotomyFemale urethral stricture incision
- Both are female urethral endoscopic procedures, but 52275 concerns a different urethral intervention. Base selection on the procedure documented, not simply the presence of a stricture.
52270 billing questions
How is this different from urethral dilation?
52270 represents incision of a female urethral stricture. A dilation code is used when the narrowing is treated by widening rather than by incision.
How does 52270 differ from 52276?
52270 is specific to internal urethrotomy in the female urethra. Compare the documented procedure with 52276, which describes direct-vision internal urethrotomy, before selecting the code.
Can modifier 50 be reported?
No. The anatomy and service descriptor make bilateral adjustment inappropriate for 52270.
Is same-day postoperative care separately reported?
Same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included in the 0-day global period. Care on a later date is outside that same-day global period.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be paid?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for 52270. Co-surgeons and team surgery 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
Show the CMS file lines behind this rate
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