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Billing code 52235: Bladder tumor resectionMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports endoscopic removal or destruction of a medium bladder tumor, sized 2.0 to 5.0 cm, during cystoscopic treatment.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities36.2K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $254.51 for 52235 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 52235

Bladder tumor resection

Work RVUs
5.3
Total RVUs
7.62
Global days
000

National rate · 2026

$254.51

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 52235 →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 52235 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 52235 covers

A urologist uses a cystoscope and endoscopic instruments to remove or destroy a bladder tumor measuring 2.0 to 5.0 cm. The treatment may involve resection, electrosurgical fulguration, laser, or cryosurgical techniques. It is commonly performed in an operating room, often as transurethral bladder tumor resection, with the tumor tissue submitted for pathology when removed.

Choose this level from the documented tumor size and operative findings; record the measured lesion and the treatment performed. The 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care. When related endoscopies are performed together, CMS endoscopy-family pricing applies. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery; 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 52235 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

52235 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$237.81
Alaska*Unavailable$336.39
ArizonaUnavailable$249.55
ArkansasUnavailable$235.78
AtlantaUnavailable$260.49
AustinUnavailable$255.46
BakersfieldUnavailable$254.26
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$266.73
BeaumontUnavailable$247.97
BrazoriaUnavailable$250.44

52235 rates by state

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

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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
52235 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 52235 rate is calculated

Each of 52235’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 · 52235

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Work5.30

5.30 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense1.64

1.64 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.68

0.68 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

7.6200

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$254.51

Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 52235

The CMS indicators that decide how 52235 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 52235

Bladder tumor resection

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

52235 without 51 · national facility

$254.51

Bladder tumor resection

52235-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$127.26

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

52235 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

5 codes, side by side

  • 52235

    Bladder tumor resection5.3 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 52224

    Bladder lesion treatment3.95 wRVU

    $760.20

  • 52234

    Bladder tumor treatment4.5 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 52240

    Bladder tumor treatment7.31 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 52204

    Cystoscopic biopsy2.53 wRVU

    $355.39

How to choose

52224Bladder lesion treatment
52224 is for a smaller bladder lesion category. 52235 is selected for a tumor measuring 2.0 to 5.0 cm.
52234Bladder tumor treatment
52234 represents a smaller bladder tumor size category; 52235 covers tumors measuring 2.0 to 5.0 cm.
52240Bladder tumor treatment
52240 is the larger-tumor level. Use 52235 for a documented tumor measuring 2.0 to 5.0 cm.
52204Cystoscopic biopsy
52204 is for cystoscopic biopsy. 52235 is for endoscopic treatment of a medium bladder tumor by removal or destruction.

Codes related to 52235

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

Codes related to 52235
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
52224Bladder lesion treatmentCystoscopic treatment code for a smaller bladder lesion category.$665.99–$1,037.58
52234Bladder tumor treatmentAdjacent size-level code for treatment of a smaller bladder tumor.No office rate
52240Bladder tumor treatmentAdjacent size-level code for treatment of a larger bladder tumor.No office rate
Used instead
52204Cystoscopic biopsyUsed for cystoscopic biopsy when diagnostic sampling, rather than tumor resection, is performed.$313.28–$474.12

52235 billing questions

How is 52235 distinguished from 52234 or 52240?

52235 is for a bladder tumor measuring 2.0 to 5.0 cm. Use the neighboring size-level code when the documented tumor falls into that code’s size category.

When would 52204 be used instead?

52204 describes cystoscopic bladder biopsy. It is the relevant choice when tissue is sampled for diagnosis rather than a medium tumor being resected or destroyed.

Can modifier 50 be used for tumors on both sides of the bladder?

No. Bilateral adjustment does not apply, and the descriptor or anatomy makes modifier 50 inappropriate.

What happens when related endoscopies are performed in the same session?

CMS endoscopy-family pricing applies when related endoscopies are performed together, affecting payment for the combined services.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code. 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 52235PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 6,115 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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