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Billing code 43770: Gastric band placementMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports laparoscopic placement of an adjustable gastric band system to restrict stomach capacity as part of surgical treatment for obesity.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities25 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $1,068.83 for 43770 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 43770

Gastric band placement

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
17.55
Total RVUs
32.00
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$1,068.83

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 43770 → · 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 43770 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 43770 covers

A bariatric or general surgeon uses a laparoscopic approach to place an adjustable band around the upper stomach and position its access port beneath the skin. The implanted system can later be adjusted to change the degree of restriction. The procedure is generally performed in a hospital or other surgical facility as part of a bariatric treatment plan; it is distinct from sleeve gastrectomy, which removes part of the stomach.

Report this code for the initial laparoscopic placement, not for later revision, removal, or replacement of an existing device. The operative report should support the laparoscopic approach and placement of the adjustable system. This major surgery has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures subject to the reduction are performed in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. 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.

Where 43770 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

43770 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$959.99
Alaska*Unavailable$1,312.60
ArizonaUnavailable$1,036.13
ArkansasUnavailable$946.77
AtlantaUnavailable$1,107.35
AustinUnavailable$1,070.99
BakersfieldUnavailable$1,049.85
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$1,139.19
BeaumontUnavailable$1,028.37
BrazoriaUnavailable$1,036.05

43770 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
43770 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 43770 rate is calculated

Each of 43770’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 · 43770

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 17.55Practice expense 9.75Malpractice 4.70

32.0000 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$1,068.83

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 43770

43770 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 43770

Gastric band placement

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)0The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply.
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)0.09/0.81/0.10Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 43770

Gastric band placement

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

43770 without 51 · national facility

$1,068.83

Gastric band placement

43770-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$534.42

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

43770 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

43770 vs 43771 vs 43773 vs 43775: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 43770
    Gastric band placement · 17.55 wRVU
    —
  • 43771
    Gastric device revision · 20.27 wRVU
    —
  • 43773
    Gastric band surgery · 20.27 wRVU
    —
  • 43775
    Sleeve gastrectomy · 19.87 wRVU
    —

How to choose

43771Gastric device revision
Use 43770 for initial placement of the adjustable system. Use 43771 when the surgeon revises an existing device laparoscopically.
43773Gastric band surgery
43773 is for laparoscopic replacement of an existing device; 43770 is for its initial placement.
43775Sleeve gastrectomy
43775 describes laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, which removes part of the stomach. It is not placement of an adjustable band.

Codes related to 43770

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

Codes related to 43770
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
43771Gastric device revisionLaparoscopic revision of an existing adjustable gastric device rather than initial placement.No office rate
43772Gastric device removalLaparoscopic removal of an existing gastric restrictive device.No office rate
43773Gastric band surgeryLaparoscopic replacement of an existing gastric restrictive device.No office rate
43774Gastric band removalLaparoscopic removal of all components of a gastric restrictive device.No office rate
Used instead
43775Sleeve gastrectomyLaparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is a different bariatric operation, not band placement.No office rate

43770 billing questions

How is initial placement different from revision or replacement?

Use 43770 for initial laparoscopic placement of the adjustable gastric band system. Code 43771 describes laparoscopic revision, while 43773 describes replacement of an existing device.

Is this the code for a gastric band adjustment?

No. This code represents operative placement of the system, not a later adjustment of an already implanted band.

Does the 90-day global include routine postoperative care?

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

Can modifier 50 be used for placement on both sides?

No. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this procedure; the code describes placement on the stomach, not a bilateral service.

How are multiple procedures in the same session paid?

The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures subject to the reduction are paid at 50%.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available. 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 43770PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 5,292 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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