FeeBase
Log inGet started
Menu

Billing code 38562: Pelvic lymphadenectomyMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports limited removal of pelvic lymph nodes for staging during an open oncologic operation when the nodal work is separately reportable.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities296 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $669.69 for 38562 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 38562

Pelvic lymphadenectomy

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
10.78
Total RVUs
20.05
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$669.69

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 38562 → · 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.

On this page 10 sections
  1. Medicare rate
  2. What 38562 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 38562 covers

This code describes limited removal of pelvic lymph nodes for cancer staging, rather than a comprehensive pelvic node dissection. It is typically performed by a gynecologic or urologic surgeon during an open operation for a pelvic malignancy. The removed nodes are submitted for pathologic examination to assess regional spread. The operative note should identify the pelvic nodal tissue removed and its staging purpose.

Report the code when the limited staging procedure is separately reportable, not when nodal removal is integral to a more extensive procedure. The documentation should support the pelvic site and limited extent of the dissection. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction. The code is priced as bilateral, so modifier 50 does not increase payment. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made; 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.

Where 38562 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

38562 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$607.76
Alaska*Unavailable$831.22
ArizonaUnavailable$651.60
ArkansasUnavailable$600.18
AtlantaUnavailable$689.63
AustinUnavailable$675.44
BakersfieldUnavailable$669.65
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$710.38
BeaumontUnavailable$643.25
BrazoriaUnavailable$653.92

38562 rates by state

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

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

Explore a state

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
38562 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 38562 rate is calculated

Each of 38562’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 · 38562

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 10.78Practice expense 7.02Malpractice 2.25

20.0500 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$669.69

All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 38562

38562 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 38562

Pelvic lymphadenectomy

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period090Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included.
Multiple procedures2Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%.
Bilateral (modifier 50)2Already bilateral by definition: paid once at 100%.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)2Paid.
Co-surgeons (62)1Permitted with supporting documentation.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.11/0.73/0.16Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 38562

Pelvic lymphadenectomy

90-day global period ends

Dec 30, 2026

Covers Sep 30, 2026 through Dec 30, 2026 (92 days, including the day before surgery).

Visit on Oct 31, 2026

Day 30 of the 90-day post-op period: related follow-up care is included in the surgical payment.

  • 24 Unrelated E/M visit by the same physician
  • 79 Unrelated procedure (starts its own global period)
  • 58 Staged, more extensive, or therapy procedure that was planned
  • 78 Unplanned return to the operating room for a related complication
SurgeryVisit
Sep 23, 2026Jan 10, 2027

Pre-op dayGlobal period

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

38562 without 51 · national facility

$669.69

Pelvic lymphadenectomy

38562-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$334.85

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

38562 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

38562 vs 38564 vs 38570 vs 38571 vs 38572: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 38562
    Pelvic lymphadenectomy · 10.78 wRVU
    —
  • 38564
    Node dissection · 11.1 wRVU
    —
  • 38570
    Laparoscopic node biopsy · 8.28 wRVU
    —
  • 38571
    Pelvic lymphadenectomy · 11.7 wRVU
    —
  • 38572
    Laparoscopic lymphadenectomy · 15.21 wRVU
    —

How to choose

38564Node dissection
Both codes describe limited lymphadenectomy for staging, but 38562 is for pelvic nodes and 38564 is for retroperitoneal, para-aortic nodes.
38570Laparoscopic node biopsy
38570 describes laparoscopic retroperitoneal node sampling; 38562 describes limited pelvic staging node removal in an open operation.
38571Pelvic lymphadenectomy
38571 is the laparoscopic code for bilateral total pelvic lymphadenectomy, not limited pelvic staging removal.
38572Laparoscopic lymphadenectomy
38572 describes a laparoscopic pelvic dissection with added para-aortic node sampling, rather than limited pelvic-only staging removal.

Codes related to 38562

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

Codes related to 38562
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
38564Node dissectionLimited staging lymphadenectomy for the retroperitoneal rather than pelvic nodal basin.No office rate
Used instead
38570Laparoscopic node biopsyLaparoscopic retroperitoneal node sampling is a different approach and service.No office rate
38571Pelvic lymphadenectomyLaparoscopic bilateral total pelvic lymphadenectomy describes a broader laparoscopic procedure.No office rate
38572Laparoscopic lymphadenectomyLaparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy with added para-aortic node sampling.No office rate
38573Laparoscopic lymphadenectomyLaparoscopic pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy describes a more extensive procedure.No office rate

38562 billing questions

How does this differ from a complete pelvic lymph node dissection?

This code represents limited node removal for staging. Use a code describing a more extensive dissection when the documented procedure involves that greater extent.

Can it be reported with the primary cancer operation?

Only when the limited staging lymphadenectomy is separately reportable rather than integral to the more extensive operation. The operative report should make the distinct nodal work clear.

Should modifier 50 be added when nodes are removed on both sides?

No. CMS prices this code as bilateral, and modifier 50 does not increase payment.

What postoperative care is included?

The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care for 90 days.

How are assistant and co-surgeon claims handled?

Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; team surgery is 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
RVUs for 38562PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 4,751 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

Did this answer your question about what 38562 pays?

Tell us what you were actually trying to work out. We’ll answer you directly, or build the page that does.

Fee sheets

Put 38562 and the rest of your codes on one sheet

Build a fee sheet from your own code list at your locality, put your payer contracts beside Medicare, and see what changed each quarter.

Build my fee sheetOr price your code list free →