Billing code 45520: Rectal prolapse treatmentMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports a local treatment for rectal prolapse, such as injection therapy, rather than a formal abdominal or perineal prolapse repair.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities186 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $168.67 for 45520 nationally in the office and $37.74 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $146.63–$235.12.

Medicare rate · 45520

Rectal prolapse treatment

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
0.54
Total RVUs
5.05
Global days
000

National rate · 2026

$168.67

Office setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 45520 → · 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 45520 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 45520 covers

This service covers a treatment directed at rectal prolapse without the formal abdominal or perineal repair described by the related repair codes. A colorectal or general surgeon may perform a local treatment, such as injection therapy, in an outpatient setting. The record should identify the prolapse and the treatment method performed so the service can be distinguished from repair of the rectum or surgery to correct prolapse through an abdominal or perineal approach.

Report the service based on the treatment actually performed, not simply the diagnosis of prolapse. CMS assigns a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. 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 50% multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. Medicare 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 45520 pays more and less

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

109 payment localities

$146.63 to $235.12

$146.63$190.88$235.12
One dot per payment locality, office / nonfacility. Hover a dot to see the locality; select it to open that rate.

109 of 109 payment localities

45520 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
Alabama$149.12$34.56
Alaska*$186.28$46.84
Arizona$163.74$36.87
Arkansas$146.63$34.16
Atlanta$171.57$38.54
Austin$177.05$38.52
Bakersfield$182.34$38.84
Baltimore/Surr. Cntys$180.34$39.85
Beaumont$155.16$36.01
Brazoria$166.97$37.22

45520 rates by state

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

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.

$146.63

$208.63

Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.

View every state and territory as a table
45520 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$186.281
AL$149.121
AR$146.631
AZ$163.741
CA$182.13–$235.1229
CO$177.871
CT$180.951
DC$196.311
DE$166.751
FL$163.33–$178.333
GA$153.11–$171.572
GU$188.011
HI$188.011
IA$154.661
ID$155.581
IL$157.09–$174.614
IN$156.651
KS$153.281
KY$152.011
LA$151.52–$160.242
MA$176.35–$197.932
MD$170.44–$196.313
ME$155.93–$166.482
MI$156.07–$165.092
MN$171.331
MO$148.15–$161.563
MS$147.451
MT$168.671
NC$157.891
ND$167.291
NE$155.801
NH$174.461
NJ$183.27–$193.702
NM$156.841
NV$168.431
NY$160.57–$199.865
OH$155.791
OK$152.291
OR$167.39–$184.832
PA$156.39–$175.532
PR$170.271
RI$173.661
SC$157.051
SD$167.121
TN$154.101
TX$155.16–$177.058
UT$159.541
VA$165.47–$196.312
VI$170.271
VT$166.041
WA$176.21–$202.812
WI$160.831
WV$150.251
WY$168.071

How the 45520 rate is calculated

Each of 45520’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 · 45520

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 0.54Practice expense 4.44Malpractice 0.07

5.0500 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$168.67

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 45520

The CMS indicators that decide how 45520 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 45520

Rectal prolapse treatment

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period000Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is 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)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

45520 without 51 · national office

$168.67

Rectal prolapse treatment

45520-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$84.34

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

45520 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

45520 vs 45540 vs 45541 vs 45550: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 45520
    Rectal prolapse treatment · 0.54 wRVU
    $168.67
  • 45540
    Rectal prolapse repair · 17.67 wRVU
    —
  • 45541
    Prolapse repair · 14.48 wRVU
    —
  • 45550
    Rectal repair · 24.18 wRVU
    —

How to choose

45540Rectal prolapse repair
Choose 45540 for repair of rectal prolapse through an abdominal approach; this code describes local treatment rather than that formal repair.
45541Prolapse repair
Choose 45541 when the prolapse is repaired through a perineal approach. This code is for local treatment, not that approach-specific repair.
45550Rectal repair
45550 describes abdominal prolapse repair that includes sigmoid resection. This code does not represent that combined repair.

45520 billing questions

When should this code be chosen over a prolapse repair code?

Use it for a local treatment, such as injection therapy, rather than a formal abdominal or perineal repair. Select a repair code when the operative service matches that approach and repair.

What documentation supports reporting this service?

Document the rectal prolapse, the method used to treat it, and the work performed. The record should make clear that the service was not an abdominal or perineal repair.

Is same-day care included in the service?

Yes. The 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care.

Can modifier 50 or an assistant-at-surgery claim be reported?

Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery, and co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.

How is this code affected when another procedure is performed in the same session?

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

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 45520PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 5,541 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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