Billing code 46940: Anal fissure treatmentMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports procedural treatment of an anal fissure with anal sphincter dilation when the fissure is managed without fissurectomy.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities378 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $290.25 for 46940 nationally in the office and $136.61 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $256.09–$382.56.

Medicare rate · 46940

Anal fissure treatment

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
2.29
Total RVUs
8.69
Global days
010

National rate · 2026

$290.25

Office setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 46940 → · 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 46940 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 46940 covers

This code describes procedural management of an anal fissure that includes dilation of the anal sphincter, such as manual or balloon dilation, without fissurectomy. A surgeon, commonly a colorectal or general surgeon, may perform the treatment for a symptomatic fissure in an outpatient or facility setting. The record should identify the fissure and describe the treatment performed, including the dilation method and whether fissure tissue was excised.

Report 46940 when the documented service meets this treatment approach; use the related fissure code when fissurectomy is performed. The service has a 10-day global period, so related postoperative visits during that period are 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 multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery, and co-surgeon and team-surgery billing 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 46940 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

$256.09 to $382.56

$256.09$319.32$382.56
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

46940 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
Alabama$259.92$125.48
Alaska*$336.38$172.75
Arizona$282.31$133.42
Arkansas$256.09$124.11
Atlanta$296.07$139.96
Austin$300.79$138.24
Bakersfield$306.54$138.14
Baltimore/Surr. Cntys$309.00$144.14
Beaumont$271.24$131.42
Brazoria$286.48$134.21

46940 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.

$256.09

$344.04

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

View every state and territory as a table
46940 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$336.381
AL$259.921
AR$256.091
AZ$282.311
CA$305.53–$382.5629
CO$301.541
CT$309.801
DC$331.671
DE$287.031
FL$287.24–$316.413
GA$270.67–$296.072
GU$313.021
HI$313.021
IA$266.031
ID$267.931
IL$279.25–$306.944
IN$269.491
KS$265.061
KY$266.831
LA$266.52–$279.922
MA$299.81–$331.312
MD$292.49–$331.673
ME$269.67–$284.122
MI$274.18–$291.202
MN$287.881
MO$262.06–$280.583
MS$259.111
MT$290.231
NC$272.491
ND$283.311
NE$267.421
NH$297.081
NJ$313.04–$328.202
NM$275.831
NV$288.501
NY$276.68–$343.365
OH$272.771
OK$266.021
OR$285.97–$310.922
PA$273.04–$302.172
PR$292.301
RI$297.111
SC$273.141
SD$282.491
TN$266.451
TX$271.24–$300.798
UT$276.941
VA$283.38–$331.672
VI$292.301
VT$282.461
WA$299.16–$337.812
WI$273.681
WV$268.821
WY$287.211

How the 46940 rate is calculated

Each of 46940’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 · 46940

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 2.29Practice expense 6.05Malpractice 0.35

8.6900 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$290.25

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 46940

46940 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 46940

Anal fissure treatment

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period010Minor procedure: the day of the procedure plus 10 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)1Not paid (statutory restriction).
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.10/0.80/0.10Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 46940

Anal fissure treatment

10-day global period ends

Oct 11, 2026

Covers Oct 1, 2026 through Oct 11, 2026 (11 days).

Visit on Oct 31, 2026

After the global period ends: visits and procedures are billed normally.

SurgeryVisit
Sep 28, 2026Oct 14, 2026

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

46940 without 51 · national office

$290.25

Anal fissure treatment

46940-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$145.13

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

46940 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

46940 vs 46942 vs 46080 vs 46200 vs 46930: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 46940
    Anal fissure treatment · 2.29 wRVU
    $290.25
  • 46942
    Anal fissure treatment · 2.02 wRVU
    $277.90−$12.35
  • 46080
    Anal sphincterotomy · 2.46 wRVU
    $315.64+$25.39
  • 46200
    Fissure surgery · 3.5 wRVU
    $530.74+$240.49
  • 46930
    Hemorrhoid treatment · 1.57 wRVU
    $247.83−$42.42

How to choose

46942Anal fissure treatment
Both address anal fissure treatment with sphincter dilation. Choose 46940 when fissurectomy is not performed; 46942 applies when fissurectomy is included.
46080Anal sphincterotomy
46080 describes incision of the anal sphincter. Use 46940 for fissure treatment involving dilation rather than sphincter incision.
46200Fissure surgery
46200 is the fissurectomy approach. 46940 is distinguished by sphincter dilation without fissurectomy.
46930Hemorrhoid treatment
46930 treats internal hemorrhoids, not an anal fissure. Select by the condition treated and the documented procedure.

46940 billing questions

How does 46940 differ from 46942?

46940 is for fissure treatment with sphincter dilation without fissurectomy. Use 46942 when the treatment includes fissurectomy.

What documentation supports 46940?

Document the anal fissure, the treatment performed, and the sphincter dilation method. Note whether fissure tissue was excised.

Are postoperative visits separately reported?

Related postoperative visits during the 10-day global period are included in 46940.

Can modifier 50 be used?

No. Bilateral adjustment does not apply to this code, and modifier 50 is inappropriate.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be billed?

Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service. Co-surgeon and team-surgery billing are not permitted.

What happens 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 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 46940PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 5,637 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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