CPT code 59121: Ectopic surgery, tubal or ovarian, organ preserved2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $735.15 for 59121 nationally in a facility.

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

What 59121 covers

An obstetrician-gynecologist typically reports this for open abdominal surgery to treat a tubal or ovarian ectopic pregnancy while preserving the affected tube or ovary. The operation may involve opening the tube or ovary and removing the ectopic gestational tissue; the defining distinction is that salpingectomy and oophorectomy are not performed. The service is generally provided in an operating room when surgical treatment is needed.

The operative report should identify the ectopic site, the open approach, the treatment performed, and preservation of the tube or ovary. This code has a 90-day global period, which includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. 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 50% multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery services may be paid; co-surgeons require 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.

Where 59121 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

59121 rates by state

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

How the 59121 rate is calculated

Each of 59121’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 59121

59121 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

59121 compared with similar codes

How to choose

59120Ectopic surgeryTubal or ovarian, organ removed

Both describe open treatment of tubal or ovarian ectopic pregnancy. Choose 59120 when salpingectomy and/or oophorectomy is performed; choose 59121 when the affected organ is preserved.

59150Ectopic surgeryLaparoscopic, without organ removal

59150 is the laparoscopic counterpart when the tube and ovary are preserved. 59121 describes open abdominal treatment.

59151Ectopic pregnancy surgeryLaparoscopic removal

59151 describes laparoscopic treatment with salpingectomy and/or oophorectomy; 59121 is open treatment without removal of the affected tube or ovary.

59130Ectopic surgeryAbdominal implantation

59130 addresses an abdominal ectopic pregnancy. 59121 is for a tubal or ovarian ectopic pregnancy treated through an open abdominal approach.

Codes related to 59121

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

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