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Billing code 44402: ColonoscopyMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports colonoscopy with placement of a stent across a colorectal narrowing or obstruction to help maintain an open passage.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities

Medicare pays $229.13 for 44402 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 44402

Colonoscopy

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
4.58
Total RVUs
6.86
Global days
000

National rate · 2026

$229.13

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 44402 → · 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 44402 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 44402 covers

During colonoscopy, the endoscopist delivers and positions a stent across a narrowed or obstructed segment of the colon to help keep the lumen open. This may be used for symptomatic colorectal obstruction, including obstruction caused by a tumor or a tight stricture, when endoscopic stenting is selected. Gastroenterologists and colorectal surgeons commonly perform the procedure in a hospital or ambulatory endoscopy setting.

Report 44402 when the colonoscopy includes actual stent placement. The procedure note should identify the indication and site of the narrowing or obstruction and document the stent placement. CMS assigns a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When related endoscopies are performed together, CMS endoscopy-family pricing applies. Bilateral adjustment is inappropriate, and modifier 50 should not be used. CMS does not pay an assistant at surgery; 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 44402 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

44402 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$214.45
Alaska*Unavailable$301.98
ArizonaUnavailable$224.88
ArkansasUnavailable$212.65
AtlantaUnavailable$233.90
AustinUnavailable$230.98
BakersfieldUnavailable$231.21
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$239.88
BeaumontUnavailable$222.59
BrazoriaUnavailable$226.14

44402 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
44402 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 44402 rate is calculated

Each of 44402’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 · 44402

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 4.58Practice expense 1.78Malpractice 0.50

6.8600 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$229.13

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 44402

The CMS indicators that decide how 44402 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 44402

Colonoscopy

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period000Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is included.
Multiple procedures3Endoscopy family rules apply.
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.

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

44402 without 51 · national facility

$229.13

Colonoscopy

44402-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$114.57

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

44402 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

44402 vs 44405 vs 44403 vs 44404: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 44402
    Colonoscopy · 4.58 wRVU
    —
  • 44405
    Colonoscopy · 3.15 wRVU
    $614.58
  • 44403
    Colonoscopy · 5.36 wRVU
    —
  • 44404
    Colonoscopy · 2.94 wRVU
    $465.61

How to choose

44405Colonoscopy
44405 describes colonoscopic dilation. Use 44402 when a stent is placed to maintain an open passage through the narrowed segment.
44403Colonoscopy
44403 describes colonoscopic resection, while 44402 describes placement of a stent across a narrowing or obstruction.
44404Colonoscopy
44404 describes colonoscopic injection; 44402 is selected when the service includes stent placement.

Codes related to 44402

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

Codes related to 44402
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
44401Colonoscopy ablationRelated colonoscopy code for ablation rather than stent placement.$2,231.79–$3,660.99
44403ColonoscopyRelated colonoscopy code for resection rather than stent placement.No office rate
44404ColonoscopyRelated colonoscopy code for injection rather than stent placement.$409.32–$627.00
44405ColonoscopyRelated colonoscopy code for dilation without stent placement.$538.62–$840.39
44406ColonoscopyRelated colonoscopy code involving endoscopic ultrasound.No office rate
44407Colonoscopy with samplingRelated colonoscopy code for needle aspiration or biopsy.No office rate
44408Colon decompressionRelated colonoscopy code for decompression.No office rate

44402 billing questions

When should 44402 be selected instead of a colonoscopy with dilation?

Use 44402 when a stent is placed across the colonic narrowing or obstruction. A dilation-only procedure is described by 44405.

Can a related endoscopy be reported during the same session?

CMS endoscopy-family pricing applies when related endoscopies are performed together. Document each service performed; the applicable family pricing governs payment.

Should modifier 50 be appended for a stent placed on both sides?

No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code, so modifier 50 should not be used.

What documentation supports reporting 44402?

Document the indication, the location and nature of the colonic narrowing or obstruction, and the stent placement performed during colonoscopy.

How does the 0-day global period affect same-day care?

Same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included in the procedure's 0-day global period.

Can an assistant, co-surgeon, or surgical team be reported?

CMS does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code. Co-surgeons and team surgery are 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 44402PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 5,417 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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