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Billing code 50570: Renal endoscopyMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports endoscopic inspection of the kidney’s collecting system through a nephrotomy or pyelotomy, with irrigation, instillation, or ureteral dilation when performed.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities35 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $430.20 for 50570 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 50570

Renal endoscopy

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
9.29
Total RVUs
12.88
Global days
000

National rate · 2026

$430.20

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 50570 → · 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 50570 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 50570 covers

A urologist uses an endoscope to examine the renal collecting system through an incision into the kidney or renal pelvis. The service may include irrigation, instillation, or dilation of the ureter. It is performed in an operative setting when access is through a nephrotomy or pyelotomy, rather than through the urethra or an existing nephrostomy tract.

Select this code when the documented access route and endoscopic examination match that approach; record the incision used, structures examined, and any irrigation, instillation, or dilation performed. This is a minor procedure with a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are reduced to 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity; 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 50570 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

50570 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$402.73
Alaska*Unavailable$572.37
ArizonaUnavailable$421.92
ArkansasUnavailable$399.39
AtlantaUnavailable$440.53
AustinUnavailable$430.83
BakersfieldUnavailable$427.93
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$450.55
BeaumontUnavailable$420.18
BrazoriaUnavailable$423.08

50570 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
50570 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 50570 rate is calculated

Each of 50570’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 · 50570

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 9.29Practice expense 2.38Malpractice 1.21

12.8800 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$430.20

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 50570

The CMS indicators that decide how 50570 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 50570

Renal endoscopy

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)1Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)0Not paid without supporting documentation.
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 50 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

50570 without 50 · national facility

$430.20

Renal endoscopy

50570-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$645.30

Both sides on one line with modifier 50 are paid at 150% of the fee schedule amount (subject to multiple-procedure rules with other procedures).

When to use modifier 50

50570 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

50570 vs 50551 vs 50574 vs 50576 vs 50562: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 50570
    Renal endoscopy · 9.29 wRVU
    —
  • 50551
    Renal endoscopy · 5.45 wRVU
    $377.10
  • 50574
    Kidney endoscopy · 10.73 wRVU
    —
  • 50576
    Kidney endoscopy · 10.7 wRVU
    —
  • 50562
    Renal endoscopy · 10.63 wRVU
    —

How to choose

50551Renal endoscopy
50570 is for endoscopy through a nephrotomy or pyelotomy. Use 50551 when the renal endoscope is introduced through nephrostomy access.
50574Kidney endoscopy
50574 identifies renal endoscopy with biopsy. Do not select 50570 alone when a biopsy service is performed and the biopsy-specific code applies.
50576Kidney endoscopy
50576 describes renal endoscopy with treatment. 50570 describes the endoscopic examination and its stated access route, not a treatment service.
50562Renal endoscopy
50562 identifies renal endoscopy with tumor resection. Use it when tumor resection is performed rather than reporting examination alone under 50570.

Codes related to 50570

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

Codes related to 50570
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
50551Renal endoscopyRenal endoscopy using nephrostomy access rather than a nephrotomy or pyelotomy.$341.55–$468.77
50562Renal endoscopyRenal endoscopy with tumor resection, rather than examination alone.No office rate
Same family
50572Renal endoscopyA neighboring renal endoscopy code; distinguish by the service specified in its descriptor.No office rate
50574Kidney endoscopyRenal endoscopy code that includes biopsy.No office rate
50576Kidney endoscopyRenal endoscopy code involving treatment.No office rate

50570 billing questions

How is this code different from renal endoscopy through a nephrostomy?

Choose this code when the endoscope enters through a nephrotomy or pyelotomy. A nephrostomy access route points to the corresponding nephrostomy-based renal endoscopy code instead.

Does this code include biopsy or treatment of a lesion?

This code describes endoscopic examination, with irrigation, instillation, or ureteral dilation when performed. Use the applicable renal endoscopy code when biopsy or treatment is performed and specified by that code.

Can the procedure be reported bilaterally?

CMS lists this as a bilateral procedure. Modifier 50 is paid at 150% under the stated Medicare rule.

How are other procedures in the same session paid?

The highest-valued procedure is paid in full; each other procedure is subject to the standard multiple procedure reduction and paid at 50%.

What documentation supports reporting this code?

Document the nephrotomy or pyelotomy access, the renal structures examined, and any irrigation, instillation, or ureteral dilation performed. The record should distinguish this access route from urethral or nephrostomy access.

May an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity. CMS does not permit co-surgeons or team surgery for this code.

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 50570PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 5,946 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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