Billing code 52010: CystoscopyMedicare rate & RVUs

Report this cystoscopic procedure when a urologist catheterizes an ejaculatory duct, commonly during evaluation or treatment of suspected duct obstruction.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities

Medicare pays $365.07 for 52010 nationally in the office and $147.30 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $323.08–$482.33.

Medicare rate · 52010

Cystoscopy

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
2.94
Total RVUs
10.93
Global days
000

National rate · 2026

$365.07

Office setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 52010 → · 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 52010 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 52010 covers

A urologist passes a cystoscope through the urethra to the prostate and catheterizes an ejaculatory duct. Irrigation, instillation, or ductography may accompany the catheterization. The service is associated with evaluation or treatment of suspected ejaculatory duct obstruction, including infertility workups. It is typically performed in an operating room or procedure suite.

Report 52010 when the documented service includes ejaculatory duct catheterization; inspection of the bladder or urethra alone is not enough. The note should identify the clinical indication and document the duct catheterization and any irrigation, instillation, or ductography performed. The 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care. When related endoscopies are performed together, endoscopy family pricing applies. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this service. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery, and 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 52010 pays more and less

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

109 payment localities

$323.08 to $482.33

$323.08$402.70$482.33
One dot per payment locality, office / nonfacility. Hover a dot to see the locality; select it to open that rate.

109 of 109 payment localities

52010 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
Alabama$327.79$137.24
Alaska*$424.99$193.06
Arizona$355.36$144.34
Arkansas$323.08$136.01
Atlanta$371.98$150.73
Austin$378.56$148.16
Bakersfield$386.38$147.70
Baltimore/Surr. Cntys$388.21$154.53
Beaumont$341.29$143.12
Brazoria$360.78$144.96

52010 rates by state

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

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.

$323.08

$433.79

Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.

View every state and territory as a table
52010 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$424.991
AL$327.791
AR$323.081
AZ$355.361
CA$385.25–$482.3329
CO$379.741
CT$389.271
DC$417.051
DE$361.231
FL$360.27–$394.903
GA$340.06–$371.982
GU$394.551
HI$394.551
IA$335.811
ID$338.051
IL$350.10–$383.474
IN$339.991
KS$334.381
KY$335.781
LA$335.31–$351.802
MA$377.54–$417.012
MD$368.06–$417.053
ME$339.94–$358.102
MI$344.60–$364.882
MN$363.511
MO$329.66–$352.903
MS$326.431
MT$365.051
NC$343.461
ND$357.531
NE$337.611
NH$373.911
NJ$393.62–$412.792
NM$346.531
NV$363.211
NY$348.59–$430.275
OH$343.061
OK$335.041
OR$360.29–$391.612
PA$343.53–$379.712
PR$367.681
RI$373.951
SC$343.851
SD$356.641
TN$336.061
TX$341.29–$378.568
UT$348.531
VA$357.02–$417.052
VI$367.681
VT$356.261
WA$376.79–$425.362
WI$345.611
WV$337.241
WY$361.771

How the 52010 rate is calculated

Each of 52010’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 · 52010

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 2.94Practice expense 7.61Malpractice 0.38

10.9300 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$365.07

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 52010

The CMS indicators that decide how 52010 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 52010

Cystoscopy

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)0The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)1Not paid (statutory restriction).
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

52010 without 51 · national office

$365.07

Cystoscopy

52010-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$182.54

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

52010 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

52010 vs 52000 vs 52005 vs 52007: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 52010
    Cystoscopy · 2.94 wRVU
    $365.07
  • 52000
    Cystoscopy · 1.49 wRVU
    $215.77−$149.30
  • 52005
    Ureteral catheterization · 2.31 wRVU
    $280.57−$84.50
  • 52007
    Ureteral biopsy · 2.94 wRVU
    $431.54+$66.47

How to choose

52000Cystoscopy
Choose 52010 when an ejaculatory duct is catheterized. A cystoscopic examination without that catheterization is represented by 52000.
52005Ureteral catheterization
52005 is for ureteral catheterization. 52010 is for catheterization of an ejaculatory duct.
52007Ureteral biopsy
52007 involves ureteral catheterization with brush biopsy; it is not the code for ejaculatory duct catheterization.

52010 billing questions

How does 52010 differ from a diagnostic cystoscopy?

52010 requires catheterization of an ejaculatory duct. Use a diagnostic cystoscopy code when the service is limited to cystoscopic inspection.

Can the diagnostic cystoscopy be billed separately with 52010?

Do not separately report the cystoscopic access and inspection that are part of the duct catheterization service.

Is modifier 50 appropriate?

No. The CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply to 52010, and modifier 50 is inappropriate.

What documentation supports 52010?

Document the indication and the ejaculatory duct catheterization. Also note any irrigation, instillation, or ductography performed.

How is 52010 priced with another endoscopy?

When related endoscopies are performed together, CMS endoscopy family pricing applies.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for 52010. 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 52010PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 6,110 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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