$767.01–$1,154.02
Choose 51050 for open removal through a bladder incision. Choose 52317 when the stone is fragmented and extracted endoscopically.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
51050 Bladder stone removal Medicare reimbursement rates
Open cystolithotomy removes a calculus from the bladder when the surgeon uses an open approach rather than endoscopic fragmentation and extraction. Compare 51050 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities.
Amounts below use the non-QP conversion factor for participating physicians. These are base physician payments before claim-level adjustments, not patient costs or total hospital charges.
What does Medicare pay for 51050?
The service location and office or facility setting determine which base rate applies. These are the supported base rates for the 109 payment areas shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
No supported rate
These are locality ranges, not averages or address-specific quotes. A facility-setting amount covers the physician service; it does not include a hospital’s separate bill. Choose a locality below to inspect its calculation, compare other payment areas, or price a percentage of Medicare.
Where 51050 pays more and less
Urologic surgery
About 51050: Open bladder stone removal
Open cystolithotomy removes a calculus from the bladder when the surgeon uses an open approach rather than endoscopic fragmentation and extraction.
This procedure removes a bladder calculus through an open incision into the bladder. Urologists typically perform it in a hospital operating room when an open approach is selected to remove the stone; endoscopic litholapaxy is a different method. The operative report should identify the bladder stone and describe the incision and removal performed.
Report the service for open removal of a bladder calculus, not for endoscopic fragmentation and extraction. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When other 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. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 51050
- Global period
- Major surgery with a 90-day global period: the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included.
- Multiple procedures
- Standard multiple procedure reduction: the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50% when performed in the same session.
- Bilateral procedures
- Bilateral adjustment does not apply; the descriptor or anatomy makes modifier 50 inappropriate.
- Assistant at surgery
- Assistant at surgery may be paid.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons paid only with supporting documentation.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU7.77 · 60%
- Practice expense (office) RVU4.21 · 32%
- Malpractice RVU1.01 · 8%
653
Medicare services in 2024 · #3323 by national volume
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.
51050 compared with similar codes
Office rate ranges across all CMS payment localities, from the same CMS release.
No office rate
51050 describes open bladder stone removal; 52318 describes endoscopic litholapaxy for a larger or more complex stone burden.
No office rate
51050 removes a calculus from the bladder. 51060 is for open removal of a calculus from the ureter.
See how rates vary across the country
51050 · Office / nonfacility · Non-QP. Choose a state to explore its payment localities. A range means the amount varies within that state.
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 all state and territory rates as a table
| State / territory | Rate range | Localities |
|---|---|---|
| AK | No published base rate | 1 |
| AL | No published base rate | 1 |
| AR | No published base rate | 1 |
| AZ | No published base rate | 1 |
| CA | No published base rate | 29 |
| CO | No published base rate | 1 |
| CT | No published base rate | 1 |
| DC | No published base rate | 1 |
| DE | No published base rate | 1 |
| FL | No published base rate | 3 |
| GA | No published base rate | 2 |
| GU | No published base rate | 1 |
| HI | No published base rate | 1 |
| IA | No published base rate | 1 |
| ID | No published base rate | 1 |
| IL | No published base rate | 4 |
| IN | No published base rate | 1 |
| KS | No published base rate | 1 |
| KY | No published base rate | 1 |
| LA | No published base rate | 2 |
| MA | No published base rate | 2 |
| MD | No published base rate | 3 |
| ME | No published base rate | 2 |
| MI | No published base rate | 2 |
| MN | No published base rate | 1 |
| MO | No published base rate | 3 |
| MS | No published base rate | 1 |
| MT | No published base rate | 1 |
| NC | No published base rate | 1 |
| ND | No published base rate | 1 |
| NE | No published base rate | 1 |
| NH | No published base rate | 1 |
| NJ | No published base rate | 2 |
| NM | No published base rate | 1 |
| NV | No published base rate | 1 |
| NY | No published base rate | 5 |
| OH | No published base rate | 1 |
| OK | No published base rate | 1 |
| OR | No published base rate | 2 |
| PA | No published base rate | 2 |
| PR | No published base rate | 1 |
| RI | No published base rate | 1 |
| SC | No published base rate | 1 |
| SD | No published base rate | 1 |
| TN | No published base rate | 1 |
| TX | No published base rate | 8 |
| UT | No published base rate | 1 |
| VA | No published base rate | 2 |
| VI | No published base rate | 1 |
| VT | No published base rate | 1 |
| WA | No published base rate | 2 |
| WI | No published base rate | 1 |
| WV | No published base rate | 1 |
| WY | No published base rate | 1 |
Compare 51050 by payment locality
Find the payment area for your service address, then open its rate page for calculation inputs, release history and the percentage-of-Medicare tool. A city may cross payment-area boundaries; the ZIP lookup above helps resolve the location.
109 of 109 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Office Unavailable | Facility $401.66 |
| Alaska* | Office Unavailable | Facility $557.63 |
| Arizona | Office Unavailable | Facility $424.66 |
| Arkansas | Office Unavailable | Facility $397.69 |
| Atlanta | Office Unavailable | Facility $443.69 |
| Austin | Office Unavailable | Facility $438.71 |
| Bakersfield | Office Unavailable | Facility $439.12 |
| Baltimore/Surr. Cntys | Office Unavailable | Facility $456.29 |
| Beaumont | Office Unavailable | Facility $418.83 |
| Brazoria | Office Unavailable | Facility $427.27 |
| Chicago | Office Unavailable | Facility $480.08 |
| Chico | Office Unavailable | Facility $436.14 |
| Colorado | Office Unavailable | Facility $438.60 |
| Connecticut | Office Unavailable | Facility $456.98 |
| Dallas | Office Unavailable | Facility $430.86 |
| Dc + Md/Va Suburbs | Office Unavailable | Facility $476.73 |
| Delaware | Office Unavailable | Facility $430.08 |
| Detroit | Office Unavailable | Facility $452.10 |
| East St. Louis | Office Unavailable | Facility $456.84 |
| El Centro | Office Unavailable | Facility $436.30 |
| Fort Lauderdale | Office Unavailable | Facility $462.96 |
| Fort Worth | Office Unavailable | Facility $429.89 |
| Fresno | Office Unavailable | Facility $436.14 |
| Galveston | Office Unavailable | Facility $429.17 |
| Hanford-Corcoran | Office Unavailable | Facility $436.14 |
| Hawaii, Guam | Office Unavailable | Facility $438.94 |
| Houston | Office Unavailable | Facility $447.65 |
| Idaho | Office Unavailable | Facility $404.85 |
| Indiana | Office Unavailable | Facility $406.27 |
| Iowa | Office Unavailable | Facility $401.58 |
| Kansas | Office Unavailable | Facility $403.65 |
| Kentucky | Office Unavailable | Facility $415.40 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (Los Angeles/Orange Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $458.92 |
| Madera | Office Unavailable | Facility $436.14 |
| Manhattan | Office Unavailable | Facility $493.04 |
| Merced | Office Unavailable | Facility $436.14 |
| Metropolitan Boston | Office Unavailable | Facility $468.09 |
| Metropolitan Kansas City | Office Unavailable | Facility $424.52 |
| Metropolitan Philadelphia | Office Unavailable | Facility $450.83 |
| Metropolitan St. Louis | Office Unavailable | Facility $427.20 |
| Miami | Office Unavailable | Facility $491.22 |
| Minnesota | Office Unavailable | Facility $414.21 |
| Mississippi | Office Unavailable | Facility $405.53 |
| Modesto | Office Unavailable | Facility $436.14 |
| Montana** | Office Unavailable | Facility $433.81 |
| Napa | Office Unavailable | Facility $478.35 |
| Nebraska | Office Unavailable | Facility $402.07 |
| Nevada** | Office Unavailable | Facility $428.38 |
| New Hampshire | Office Unavailable | Facility $435.43 |
| New Mexico | Office Unavailable | Facility $428.99 |
| New Orleans | Office Unavailable | Facility $430.17 |
| North Carolina | Office Unavailable | Facility $412.28 |
| North Dakota** | Office Unavailable | Facility $413.84 |
| Northern Nj | Office Unavailable | Facility $475.02 |
| Nyc Suburbs/Long Island | Office Unavailable | Facility $505.97 |
| Ohio | Office Unavailable | Facility $421.91 |
| Oklahoma | Office Unavailable | Facility $411.31 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | Office Unavailable | Facility $454.02 |
| Portland | Office Unavailable | Facility $445.00 |
| Poughkpsie/N Nyc Suburbs | Office Unavailable | Facility $466.00 |
| Puerto Rico | Office Unavailable | Facility $434.92 |
| Queens | Office Unavailable | Facility $490.99 |
| Redding | Office Unavailable | Facility $436.14 |
| Rest Of California | Office Unavailable | Facility $436.14 |
| Rest Of Florida | Office Unavailable | Facility $444.66 |
| Rest Of Georgia | Office Unavailable | Facility $425.17 |
| Rest Of Illinois | Office Unavailable | Facility $440.64 |
| Rest Of Louisiana | Office Unavailable | Facility $416.29 |
| Rest Of Maine | Office Unavailable | Facility $409.88 |
| Rest Of Maryland | Office Unavailable | Facility $435.39 |
| Rest Of Massachusetts | Office Unavailable | Facility $438.63 |
| Rest Of Michigan | Office Unavailable | Facility $426.00 |
| Rest Of Missouri | Office Unavailable | Facility $413.60 |
| Rest Of New Jersey | Office Unavailable | Facility $460.47 |
| Rest Of New York | Office Unavailable | Facility $416.83 |
| Rest Of Oregon | Office Unavailable | Facility $423.30 |
| Rest Of Pennsylvania | Office Unavailable | Facility $420.49 |
| Rest Of Texas | Office Unavailable | Facility $423.43 |
| Rest Of Washington | Office Unavailable | Facility $436.64 |
| Rhode Island | Office Unavailable | Facility $439.81 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | Office Unavailable | Facility $447.09 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | Office Unavailable | Facility $450.49 |
| Salinas | Office Unavailable | Facility $448.63 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | Office Unavailable | Facility $453.77 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (Marin Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $497.94 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (San Francisco/San Mateo/Alameda/Contra Costa Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $496.79 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $508.93 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (Santa Clara Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $504.24 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | Office Unavailable | Facility $442.18 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | Office Unavailable | Facility $453.91 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | Office Unavailable | Facility $448.83 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | Office Unavailable | Facility $458.07 |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $472.60 |
| South Carolina | Office Unavailable | Facility $418.13 |
| South Dakota** | Office Unavailable | Facility $411.48 |
| Southern Maine | Office Unavailable | Facility $420.16 |
| Stockton | Office Unavailable | Facility $436.14 |
| Suburban Chicago | Office Unavailable | Facility $465.53 |
| Tennessee | Office Unavailable | Facility $405.46 |
| Utah | Office Unavailable | Facility $422.00 |
| Vallejo | Office Unavailable | Facility $476.69 |
| Vermont | Office Unavailable | Facility $415.81 |
| Virgin Islands | Office Unavailable | Facility $434.92 |
| Virginia | Office Unavailable | Facility $421.57 |
| Visalia | Office Unavailable | Facility $436.14 |
| West Virginia | Office Unavailable | Facility $430.00 |
| Wisconsin | Office Unavailable | Facility $404.63 |
| Wyoming** | Office Unavailable | Facility $425.11 |
| Yuba City | Office Unavailable | Facility $436.14 |
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51050 billing questions
How does this differ from endoscopic bladder stone treatment?
51050 represents open removal through an incision into the bladder. Endoscopic litholapaxy codes 52317 and 52318 describe fragmentation and extraction through a cystoscope.
What documentation supports reporting 51050?
The operative report should document the bladder calculus, the open cystotomy approach, and removal of the stone. It should distinguish the service from endoscopic fragmentation and extraction.
Can modifier 50 be appended?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code.
How does the global period affect postoperative billing?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
How are other 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. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation.
Where these rates come from
FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense, and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indices and the applicable conversion factor. Unavailable or separately priced services are labeled rather than assigned a made-up amount.
Source: RVU26D. Effective 2026-10-01 through the day before 2027-01-01.
6,01651020,,Cystotomy/cystostomy w/fulg,A,,7.50,4.56,NA,4.56,,0.98,13.04,13.04,0,090,0.08,0.83,0.09,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
6,01751040,,Incise & drain bladder,A,,4.38,3.23,NA,3.23,,0.56,8.17,8.17,0,090,0.08,0.83,0.09,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
6,01851045,,Incise bladder/drain ureter,A,,7.61,4.84,NA,4.84,,1.22,13.67,13.67,0,090,0.08,0.83,0.09,2,0,2,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
6,01951050,,Removal of bladder stone,A,,7.77,4.21,NA,4.21,,1.01,12.99,12.99,0,090,0.08,0.83,0.09,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
6,02051060,,Removal of ureter stone,A,,9.70,5.01,NA,5.01,,1.25,15.96,15.96,0,090,0.08,0.83,0.09,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
6,02151065,,Remove ureter calculus,A,,9.70,4.92,NA,4.92,,1.25,15.87,15.87,0,090,0.08,0.83,0.09,2,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
6,02251080,,Drainage of bladder abscess,A,,6.54,3.96,NA,3.96,,0.84,11.34,11.34,0,090,0.08,0.83,0.09,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00