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Billing code 44144: Partial colectomyMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports partial colon resection with colostomy formation and closure of the distal bowel segment in a Hartmann-type operation.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities1.5K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $1,634.64 for 44144 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 44144

Partial colectomy

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
29.16
Total RVUs
48.94
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$1,634.64

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 44144 → · 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 44144 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 44144 covers

This code represents an open abdominal operation in which the surgeon removes part of the colon, brings the remaining proximal bowel out as a colostomy, and closes the downstream bowel segment. Colorectal or general surgeons may perform this configuration for conditions such as complicated diverticulitis, perforation, obstruction, or colon cancer when restoring bowel continuity is not part of the operation. The operative report should establish the extent of colon removed and how the bowel ends were managed.

Select the code from the documented procedure, not the diagnosis alone; distinguish it from other partial colectomy codes by the specific reconstruction and stoma work recorded. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur 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. 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 44144 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

44144 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$1,479.60
Alaska*Unavailable$2,044.05
ArizonaUnavailable$1,587.66
ArkansasUnavailable$1,460.83
AtlantaUnavailable$1,691.51
AustinUnavailable$1,634.58
BakersfieldUnavailable$1,602.38
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$1,736.91
BeaumontUnavailable$1,579.63
BrazoriaUnavailable$1,587.01

44144 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
44144 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 44144 rate is calculated

Each of 44144’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 · 44144

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 29.16Practice expense 12.76Malpractice 7.02

48.9400 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$1,634.64

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 44144

44144 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 44144

Partial colectomy

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 · 44144

Partial colectomy

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

44144 without 51 · national facility

$1,634.64

Partial colectomy

44144-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$817.32

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

44144 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

44144 vs 44140 vs 44143 vs 44150: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 44144
    Partial colectomy · 29.16 wRVU
    —
  • 44140
    Partial colectomy · 22.03 wRVU
    —
  • 44143
    Partial colectomy · 27.1 wRVU
    —
  • 44150
    Total colectomy · 29.43 wRVU
    —

How to choose

44140Partial colectomy
44140 includes an anastomosis connecting the bowel ends. This code instead includes colostomy formation and closure of the distal segment.
44143Partial colectomy
Both describe Hartmann-type partial colectomy services. Choose based on the specific operative work and configuration documented, rather than the indication alone.
44150Total colectomy
44150 is for removal of the entire colon. This code represents removal of only part of the colon with colostomy and distal closure.

Codes related to 44144

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

Codes related to 44144
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
44140Partial colectomyPartial colectomy with anastomosis rather than colostomy and distal closure.No office rate
44141Partial colectomyPartial colectomy with a skin-level cecostomy or colostomy.No office rate
44143Partial colectomyRelated Hartmann-type partial colectomy; compare the exact operative configuration.No office rate
44145Partial colectomyPartial colectomy with low pelvic coloproctostomy.No office rate
Used instead
44150Total colectomyTotal colectomy may be selected when the operation removes the entire colon.No office rate

44144 billing questions

How is this code different from 44140?

44140 describes partial colectomy with anastomosis. This code describes a colostomy with closure of the distal bowel segment rather than reconnection of the bowel.

How should I distinguish this from 44143?

Both are in the Hartmann-type partial colectomy group. Use the code that matches the exact operative configuration and work documented; the diagnosis by itself does not decide between them.

Can the colostomy be billed separately?

The colostomy is part of the service represented by this code. Do not separately report it as an independent procedure when it is the stoma created as part of this colectomy.

Can modifier 50 be reported?

No. Bilateral adjustment is inappropriate for this colon procedure.

What should the operative report document?

Document the portion of colon removed, the creation of the colostomy, and closure of the distal bowel segment. These details support selection among the partial colectomy codes.

How are assistant and co-surgeon services 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 44144PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 5,351 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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