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Billing code 44701: Colonic lavageMedicare rate & RVUs

Intraoperative colonic lavage clears stool from the colon during selected colorectal operations and is reported as an add-on to the primary procedure.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities34 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $152.31 for 44701 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 44701

Colonic lavage

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
3.02
Total RVUs
4.56
Global days
ZZZ

National rate · 2026

$152.31

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 44701 → · 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 44701 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 44701 covers

During colorectal surgery, the surgeon introduces irrigation solution into the colon and evacuates its contents. The service may be used when a stool-loaded colon needs clearing during an operation, including selected cases of obstruction before reconstruction. It is performed in the operating room as part of surgical care, rather than as stool testing or donor-material preparation.

Report 44701 only when colonic lavage is actually performed and an eligible primary procedure is also reported; it is not a standalone service. The operative note should describe the lavage, including irrigation and evacuation, and why colonic clearance was needed. CMS treats this as an add-on paid within the primary procedure’s global period, so it is associated with that procedure’s global period rather than billed independently.

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 44701 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

44701 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$137.52
Alaska*Unavailable$192.18
ArizonaUnavailable$147.66
ArkansasUnavailable$135.75
AtlantaUnavailable$158.44
AustinUnavailable$150.84
BakersfieldUnavailable$145.99
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$162.11
BeaumontUnavailable$148.19
BrazoriaUnavailable$146.94

44701 rates by state

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

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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
44701 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 44701 rate is calculated

Each of 44701’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 · 44701

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 3.02Practice expense 0.73Malpractice 0.81

4.5600 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$152.31

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 44701

The CMS indicators that decide how 44701 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 44701

Colonic lavage

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global periodZZZAdd-on code: falls within the primary procedure’s global period.
Multiple procedures0No multiple-procedure reduction.
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.

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 80 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

44701 without 80 · national facility

$152.31

Colonic lavage

44701-80 · Assistant: 16%

$24.37

A physician assistant at surgery is paid 16% of the surgeon’s fee schedule amount.

When to use modifier 80

44701 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

44701 vs 44140 vs 44145: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 44701
    Colonic lavage · 3.02 wRVU
    —
  • 44140
    Partial colectomy · 22.03 wRVU
    —
  • 44145
    Partial colectomy · 27.87 wRVU
    —

How to choose

44140Partial colectomy
44140 reports the partial colectomy with anastomosis; 44701 is an additional code for colonic lavage performed during the operation.
44145Partial colectomy
44145 reports a partial colectomy with coloproctostomy. Report 44701 as an add-on only when colonic lavage is also performed.

Codes related to 44701

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

Codes related to 44701
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Primary code
44140Partial colectomyPartial colectomy with anastomosis may be the primary operation accompanying documented intraoperative lavage.No office rate
44145Partial colectomyPartial colectomy with coloproctostomy may be the primary operation accompanying documented intraoperative lavage.No office rate
44143Partial colectomyPartial colectomy with end colostomy may be the primary operation accompanying documented intraoperative lavage.No office rate

44701 billing questions

Can 44701 be billed by itself?

No. It is an add-on and must be reported with an eligible primary procedure.

What documentation supports reporting 44701?

Document that colonic lavage was performed, the irrigation and evacuation steps, and the clinical reason for clearing the colon.

Is routine irrigation during surgery enough to report this code?

The record should support a distinct colonic lavage service, not merely mention routine operative irrigation.

How does 44701 relate to the primary procedure’s global period?

CMS pays this add-on within the primary procedure’s global period, and it must be billed together with that primary procedure.

Is 44701 the code for preparing fecal microbiota material?

No. It describes lavage performed in the colon during surgery; fecal microbiota preparation is a separate service.

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 44701PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 5,440 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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