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Billing code 51525: Bladder surgeryMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports open removal of one or more bladder diverticula through a bladder incision, typically for symptomatic diverticula requiring surgical excision.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities162 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $773.23 for 51525 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 51525

Bladder surgery

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
15.03
Total RVUs
23.15
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$773.23

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 51525 → · 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 51525 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 51525 covers

A urologist performs this operation through an incision into the bladder to remove one or more diverticula. It is generally done in an operating room when a diverticulum is causing problems such as urinary stasis, recurrent infection, stones, or obstruction, or otherwise warrants surgical treatment. The operative report should establish that the target was a bladder diverticulum and describe its removal; this is not the code for excising a bladder tumor.

Select this code for diverticulectomy through cystotomy, whether one or multiple diverticula are removed. The service has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during that period. 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 bladder procedure. 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 51525 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

51525 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$718.69
Alaska*Unavailable$1,007.53
ArizonaUnavailable$757.27
ArkansasUnavailable$712.01
AtlantaUnavailable$791.43
AustinUnavailable$778.48
BakersfieldUnavailable$776.27
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$812.02
BeaumontUnavailable$750.09
BrazoriaUnavailable$760.71

51525 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
51525 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 51525 rate is calculated

Each of 51525’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 · 51525

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 15.03Practice expense 6.12Malpractice 2.00

23.1500 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$773.23

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 51525

51525 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 51525

Bladder surgery

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 · 51525

Bladder surgery

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

51525 without 51 · national facility

$773.23

Bladder surgery

51525-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$386.62

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

51525 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

51525 vs 51520 vs 51530 vs 51550: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 51525
    Bladder surgery · 15.03 wRVU
    —
  • 51520
    Bladder diverticulectomy · 9.95 wRVU
    —
  • 51530
    Bladder tumor excision · 13.37 wRVU
    —
  • 51550
    Partial cystectomy · 16.8 wRVU
    —

How to choose

51520Bladder diverticulectomy
Use 51525 for diverticulum excision. Code 51520 is for a bladder tumor procedure involving fulguration or resection.
51530Bladder tumor excision
Use 51525 when the structure removed is a diverticulum; 51530 describes excision of bladder tumor or tumors.
51550Partial cystectomy
Use 51525 for excision of bladder diverticula. Code 51550 is for partial removal of the bladder, a broader resection.

Codes related to 51525

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

Codes related to 51525
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
51520Bladder diverticulectomyRelated cystotomy procedure for bladder tumor treatment rather than diverticulum excision.No office rate
51530Bladder tumor excisionRelated cystotomy procedure for excision of bladder tumor or tumors.No office rate
Used instead
51550Partial cystectomyConsider when the operation is a broader partial bladder removal rather than diverticulectomy.No office rate

51525 billing questions

When should I report this instead of a bladder tumor excision code?

Report 51525 when the surgeon removes a bladder diverticulum through cystotomy. Codes 51520 and 51530 address bladder tumor procedures, not diverticulectomy.

Does the code cover removal of more than one diverticulum?

Yes. The code covers excision of a single diverticulum or multiple diverticula during the operation.

What documentation supports 51525?

The operative report should identify the bladder diverticulum or diverticula, document the cystotomy approach and excision, and distinguish the target from a bladder tumor.

Should modifier 50 be appended for diverticula on both sides?

No. The bladder is a single organ for this service, and modifier 50 is inappropriate.

How are other procedures performed in the same session handled?

The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

An assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; team surgery is 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 51525PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 6,028 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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