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Billing code 44970: AppendectomyMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports surgical removal of the appendix using a laparoscopic approach, commonly for acute appendicitis when the surgeon completes the operation through minimally invasive access.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities23.1K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $578.17 for 44970 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 44970

Appendectomy

Work RVUs
9.21
Total RVUs
17.31
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$578.17

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 44970 →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 44970 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 44970 covers

A surgeon removes the appendix through small abdominal incisions using a camera and laparoscopic instruments. The operation is commonly performed in a hospital operating room for acute appendicitis, including cases where inflammation or infection affects the appendix. The surgeon identifies and frees the appendix, divides it from its attachments, and removes it from the abdomen. General or acute care surgeons typically perform the procedure.

Select this code when the operative report supports a laparoscopic appendectomy; document the indication, approach, and work performed. It has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed 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 for the single appendix. Assistant-at-surgery and co-surgeon services may be paid; 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 44970 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

44970 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$519.79
Alaska*Unavailable$708.71
ArizonaUnavailable$560.80
ArkansasUnavailable$512.68
AtlantaUnavailable$598.13
AustinUnavailable$580.80
BakersfieldUnavailable$571.27
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$615.88
BeaumontUnavailable$555.33
BrazoriaUnavailable$561.42

44970 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
44970 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 44970 rate is calculated

Each of 44970’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 · 44970

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Work9.21

9.21 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense5.72

5.72 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice2.38

2.38 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

17.3100

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$578.17

Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 44970

44970 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 44970

Appendectomy

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)2Permitted.
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 · 44970

Appendectomy

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.

  • 24Unrelated E/M visit by the same physician
  • 79Unrelated procedure (starts its own global period)
  • 58Staged, more extensive, or therapy procedure that was planned
  • 78Unplanned 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

44970 without 51 · national facility

$578.17

Appendectomy

44970-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$289.09

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

44970 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

  • 44970

    Appendectomy9.21 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 44950

    Appendectomy10.34 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 44960

    Appendectomy14.14 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 44955

    Appendectomy1.49 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

44950Appendectomy
44950 is for an open appendectomy; 44970 is for a laparoscopic appendectomy. Base code selection on the approach documented in the operative report.
44960Appendectomy
44960 describes an open appendectomy for a ruptured appendix with abscess or peritonitis. It is not the laparoscopic approach code.
44955Appendectomy
44955 is an add-on for appendectomy performed for an indicated purpose during another major procedure. It is not the code for a standalone laparoscopic appendectomy.

Codes related to 44970

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

Codes related to 44970
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
44950AppendectomyOpen appendectomy when the operation is performed through an open approach.No office rate
44960AppendectomyOpen appendectomy for a ruptured appendix with abscess or peritonitis.No office rate
44955AppendectomyAppendectomy reported as an add-on when performed for an indicated purpose during another major procedure.No office rate
44979Unlisted laps px appendixUnlisted laparoscopic appendix procedure when no listed laparoscopic code describes the service.No office rate

44970 billing questions

How does this differ from 44950?

44970 describes appendectomy performed laparoscopically. 44950 is the open appendectomy code, so the operative report's approach determines which code fits.

When would 44960 be considered instead?

44960 describes an open appendectomy for a ruptured appendix with abscess or peritonitis. Use 44970 when the appendectomy is performed laparoscopically, rather than selecting the open code based only on disease severity.

Should modifier 50 be appended?

No. The appendix is a single organ, and modifier 50 is inappropriate for this service.

What postoperative care is included?

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

How are other same-session procedures paid?

The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures performed in the same session are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

CMS permits payment for assistant-at-surgery and co-surgeon services for this code. 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 44970PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 5,457 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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