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CPT code 56440: Cyst marsupialization, bartholin gland2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Reports surgical creation of a lasting drainage opening for a Bartholin gland cyst, commonly selected for a symptomatic or recurrent cyst.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities170 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $163.66 for 56440 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 56440

Cyst marsupialization, bartholin gland

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
2.82
Total RVUs
4.90
Global days
010

National rate · 2026

$163.66

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 56440 →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 56440 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 56440 covers

CPT 56440 covers opening a Bartholin gland cyst and suturing its edges to the nearby mucosa to leave a persistent drainage opening. An obstetrician-gynecologist or other qualified clinician typically performs the procedure for a symptomatic cyst, including one that has recurred after prior treatment. It may be performed in an office procedure room or an outpatient facility.

Report 56440 when the documented treatment is marsupialization of a Bartholin gland cyst, rather than simple drainage of an abscess or removal of the cyst. The note should identify the Bartholin gland cyst and describe creation of the drainage opening. Medicare includes related postoperative visits during the 10-day global period. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code; Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery, and 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 56440 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

56440 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$150.03
AlaskaUnavailable$207.03
ArizonaUnavailable$159.70
ArkansasUnavailable$148.35
Atlanta, GAUnavailable$168.02
Austin, TXUnavailable$165.12
Bakersfield, CAUnavailable$164.32
Baltimore area, MDUnavailable$172.87
Beaumont, TXUnavailable$157.72
Brazoria, TXUnavailable$160.41

56440 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
56440 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 56440 rate is calculated

Each of 56440’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 · 56440

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work2.82

2.82 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense1.60

1.60 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.48

0.48 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

4.9000

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$163.66

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 56440

56440 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 56440

Cyst marsupialization, bartholin gland

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period010Minor procedure: the day of the procedure plus 10 days after are included.
Multiple procedures2Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%.
Bilateral (modifier 50)0The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)1Not paid (statutory restriction).
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.10/0.80/0.10Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 56440

Cyst marsupialization, bartholin gland

10-day global period ends

Oct 11, 2026

Covers Oct 1, 2026 through Oct 11, 2026 (11 days).

Visit on Oct 31, 2026

After the global period ends: visits and procedures are billed normally.

SurgeryVisit
Sep 28, 2026Oct 14, 2026

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

56440 without 51 · national facility

$163.66

Cyst marsupialization, bartholin gland

56440-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$81.83

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

56440 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 56440

    Cyst marsupialization, bartholin gland2.82 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 56420

    Abscess drainage, bartholin gland1.4 wRVU

    $182.03

  • 56740

    Bartholin excision, gland or cyst removal4.76 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 56405

    Abscess drainage, vulva or perineum1.45 wRVU

    $145.96

How to choose

56420Abscess drainageBartholin gland
Choose 56440 when the clinician marsupializes a Bartholin gland cyst by creating a persistent drainage opening. Choose 56420 for incision and drainage of a Bartholin gland abscess.
56740Bartholin excisionGland or cyst removal
56740 represents excision of a Bartholin gland cyst. 56440 leaves the cyst wall opening sutured to nearby mucosa for ongoing drainage rather than removing the cyst.
56405Abscess drainageVulva or perineum
56405 is for drainage of a vulvar or perineal abscess. 56440 is specific to marsupialization of a Bartholin gland cyst.

Codes related to 56440

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

Codes related to 56440
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
56420Abscess drainage, bartholin glandUsed for incision and drainage of a Bartholin gland abscess rather than cyst marsupialization.$160.20–$239.71
56740Bartholin excision, gland or cyst removalRemoval of a Bartholin gland cyst is a different surgical approach from marsupialization.No office rate
56405Abscess drainage, vulva or perineumCovers drainage of a vulvar or perineal abscess not specifically treated as a Bartholin gland cyst.$129.22–$186.53

56440 billing questions

How is 56440 different from 56420?

56440 is for marsupialization of a Bartholin gland cyst, creating a lasting drainage opening. 56420 describes incision and drainage of a Bartholin gland abscess.

Can 56420 also be reported for the opening made during marsupialization?

Do not separately report 56420 for the incision and drainage that are part of marsupialization of the same lesion.

What documentation supports 56440?

Document the Bartholin gland cyst and describe the marsupialization, including creation of the persistent drainage opening. A note describing only abscess drainage supports a different service.

Are postoperative visits separately reportable during the global period?

Related postoperative visits during the 10-day global period are included in 56440.

How does Medicare handle other procedures performed in the same session?

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

Can modifier 50 or an assistant-at-surgery claim be used?

Modifier 50 is inappropriate for 56440. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service.

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 56440PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 6,405 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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