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Billing code 50722: Ureteral releaseMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports operative freeing of a ureter from surrounding tissue, with or without repositioning, when the work is release rather than ureteral reconstruction.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities73 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $903.83 for 50722 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 50722

Ureteral release

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
17.5
Total RVUs
27.06
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$903.83

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 50722 → · 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 50722 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 50722 covers

This operation frees a ureter from tissue that is tethering, compressing, or encasing it; the surgeon may also reposition the mobilized ureter. A urologist commonly performs the work in an operating room, sometimes with a gynecologic or other pelvic surgeon when the ureter is involved in a broader pelvic operation. The operative note should identify the affected ureter, the surrounding attachments or tissue causing the need for release, and the dissection and any repositioning performed.

Report the code when the operative work is ureteral release, not a repair or reconstruction that changes the ureter’s structure. The note should make the extent of the release clear and distinguish it from separately described procedures. This major surgery code includes 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 50% multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and 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 50722 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

50722 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$832.44
Alaska*Unavailable$1,164.48
ArizonaUnavailable$882.42
ArkansasUnavailable$823.76
AtlantaUnavailable$929.54
AustinUnavailable$906.00
BakersfieldUnavailable$895.98
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$953.20
BeaumontUnavailable$877.03
BrazoriaUnavailable$884.14

50722 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
50722 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 50722 rate is calculated

Each of 50722’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 · 50722

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 17.50Practice expense 6.51Malpractice 3.05

27.0600 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$903.83

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 50722

50722 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 50722

Ureteral release

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)1Permitted with supporting documentation.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.08/0.83/0.09Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 50722

Ureteral release

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.

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

50722 without 51 · national facility

$903.83

Ureteral release

50722-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$451.92

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

50722 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

50722 vs 50715 vs 50725 vs 50700 vs 50706: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 50722
    Ureteral release · 17.5 wRVU
    —
  • 50715
    Ureterolysis · 20.12 wRVU
    —
  • 50725
    Ureteral release · 19.7 wRVU
    —
  • 50700
    Ureter repair · 16.27 wRVU
    —
  • 50706
    Ureteral dilation · 3.71 wRVU
    $792.94

How to choose

50715Ureterolysis
Both codes concern release of the ureter. Choose based on the specific operative indication and work documented for the code billed.
50725Ureteral release
This neighboring code includes release and revision in its short descriptor. Use it when the record supports revision work in addition to release.
50700Ureter repair
50700 describes ureteral revision or repair. This code is the better fit when the operation frees the ureter without reconstructing it.
50706Ureteral dilation
50706 treats ureteral narrowing by balloon dilation. This code describes operative freeing of the ureter from surrounding tissue.

Codes related to 50722

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

Codes related to 50722
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
50715UreterolysisA neighboring ureter-release code; select according to the documented operative indication and work.No office rate
50725Ureteral releaseA neighboring release-and-revision code when the operative work includes revision.No office rate
Used instead
50700Ureter repairConsider when the operation revises or repairs the ureter rather than simply freeing it.No office rate
50706Ureteral dilationBalloon dilation addresses ureteral stricture by dilation rather than operative release.$693.89–$1,089.87
50760Ureter repairUreteroureterostomy involves joining ureteral segments, a reconstructive service rather than release alone.No office rate

50722 billing questions

How is this different from 50715?

Both codes describe ureteral release, but the operative indication and work should support the specific code selected. Document the reason for freeing the ureter and the dissection performed.

When should a ureteral revision code be considered instead?

Use a revision or reconstructive code when the surgeon repairs or alters the ureter itself rather than only freeing it from surrounding tissue. The operative note should describe that additional structural work.

Can modifier 50 be reported?

No. The descriptor or anatomy makes bilateral adjustment inappropriate for this code.

How does the 90-day global period affect postoperative billing?

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

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted.

How are multiple procedures in the same session paid?

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 50722PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 5,976 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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