FeeBase
Log inGet started
Menu

Billing code 50576: Kidney endoscopyMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports renal endoscopy through a surgical kidney incision to remove a calculus, rather than treating the stone through an established nephrostomy tract.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities

Medicare pays $491.66 for 50576 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 50576

Kidney endoscopy

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
10.7
Total RVUs
14.72
Global days
000

National rate · 2026

$491.66

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 50576 → · 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 50576 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 50576 covers

A urologist uses an endoscope introduced through a nephrotomy or pyelotomy to access the kidney and remove a calculus. The procedure is performed in an operating room, typically when a stone is managed through this surgically created access route. The code represents the endoscopic stone-removal service; the approach distinguishes it from treatment through an established nephrostomy or pyelostomy access.

Select the code when the operative report supports renal endoscopy by this route and documents calculus removal. The code has a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When related endoscopies are performed together, CMS endoscopy-family pricing applies. For bilateral procedures, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of 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 50576 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

50576 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$460.84
Alaska*Unavailable$655.74
ArizonaUnavailable$482.37
ArkansasUnavailable$457.10
AtlantaUnavailable$503.29
AustinUnavailable$492.35
BakersfieldUnavailable$489.22
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$514.63
BeaumontUnavailable$480.44
BrazoriaUnavailable$483.73

50576 rates by state

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

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

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
50576 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 50576 rate is calculated

Each of 50576’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 · 50576

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 10.70Practice expense 2.66Malpractice 1.36

14.7200 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$491.66

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 50576

The CMS indicators that decide how 50576 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 50576

Kidney endoscopy

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period000Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is included.
Multiple procedures3Endoscopy family rules apply.
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

50576 without 50 · national facility

$491.66

Kidney endoscopy

50576-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$737.49

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

50576 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

50576 vs 50561 vs 50590 vs 50570: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 50576
    Kidney endoscopy · 10.7 wRVU
    —
  • 50561
    Renal endoscopy · 7.39 wRVU
    $495.00
  • 50590
    Kidney stone treatment · 9.53 wRVU
    $760.20
  • 50570
    Renal endoscopy · 9.29 wRVU
    —

How to choose

50561Renal endoscopy
Use 50576 for endoscopic calculus removal through a nephrotomy or pyelotomy. Use 50561 when the endoscope enters through an established nephrostomy or pyelostomy.
50590Kidney stone treatment
50576 describes endoscopic removal through a surgical kidney access route. 50590 is for extracorporeal shock-wave treatment of a kidney stone.
50570Renal endoscopy
50570 reports renal endoscopy through nephrotomy or pyelotomy without the calculus-removal intervention represented by 50576.

Codes related to 50576

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

Codes related to 50576
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
50561Renal endoscopyRenal endoscopic calculus removal through established nephrostomy or pyelostomy access.$448.98–$618.07
50590Kidney stone treatmentTreats kidney stones with extracorporeal shock-wave fragmentation rather than endoscopic removal.$683.76–$953.31
Same family
50570Renal endoscopyRenal endoscopy through nephrotomy or pyelotomy without the calculus-removal service.No office rate
50575Kidney endoscopyA different renal endoscopic intervention through nephrotomy or pyelotomy.No office rate

50576 billing questions

How does this differ from 50561?

50576 describes calculus removal through a nephrotomy or pyelotomy. 50561 is the corresponding renal endoscopy service through an established nephrostomy or pyelostomy access.

What documentation supports reporting 50576?

The operative report should identify the renal access route and document endoscopic calculus removal. A description of stone treatment without the route or removal details may not establish this code.

Is same-day postoperative care separately included?

The code has a 0-day global period, which includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care.

How is bilateral treatment reported?

For a bilateral procedure, report modifier 50; CMS pays the procedure at 150%.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Assistant-at-surgery payment is allowed only when medical necessity is documented. Co-surgeons and team surgery are 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 50576PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 5,950 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

Did this answer your question about what 50576 pays?

Tell us what you were actually trying to work out. We’ll answer you directly, or build the page that does.

Fee sheets

Put 50576 and the rest of your codes on one sheet

Build a fee sheet from your own code list at your locality, put your payer contracts beside Medicare, and see what changed each quarter.

Build my fee sheetOr price your code list free →