Billing code 52270: UrethrotomyMedicare rate & RVUs
Endoscopic incision of a narrowed female urethra is reported when the urologist treats a urethral stricture by cutting the obstructing scar tissue.
Medicare pays $399.81 for 52270 nationally in the office and $161.99 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $353.94–$527.14.
Medicare rate · 52270
Urethrotomy
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
- Work RVUs
- 3.28
- Total RVUs
- 11.97
- Global days
- 000
National rate · 2026
$399.81
Office setting, before claim adjustments.
See every locality for 52270 → · 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
What 52270 covers
A urologist uses a cystourethroscope to reach a narrowed segment of the female urethra and incise scar tissue to open the passage. The procedure is used for a urethral stricture causing symptoms such as difficult urination or reduced urinary flow. It is typically performed in an operating room or procedural setting, with the approach documented in the operative report.
Report 52270 for the female urethral internal incision, not for dilation alone or an incision at the urethral opening. Documentation should identify the stricture, its location, and the incision performed. The code has a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When related endoscopies are performed together, endoscopy family pricing applies. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service; 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 52270 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
$353.94 to $527.14
109 of 109 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $359.09 | $151.00 |
| Alaska* | $466.07 | $212.80 |
| Arizona | $389.19 | $158.75 |
| Arkansas | $353.94 | $149.66 |
| Atlanta | $407.44 | $165.82 |
| Austin | $414.39 | $162.78 |
| Bakersfield | $422.76 | $162.12 |
| Baltimore/Surr. Cntys | $425.11 | $169.93 |
| Beaumont | $373.96 | $157.55 |
| Brazoria | $395.04 | $159.37 |
| Chicago | $420.55 | $181.55 |
| Chico | $421.49 | $160.85 |
| Colorado | $415.64 | $162.60 |
| Connecticut | $426.26 | $170.13 |
| Dallas | $397.65 | $160.79 |
| Dc + Md/Va Suburbs | $456.46 | $176.31 |
| Delaware | $395.60 | $160.63 |
| Detroit | $400.01 | $170.51 |
| East St. Louis | $392.30 | $173.51 |
| El Centro | $421.56 | $160.92 |
| Fort Lauderdale | $415.00 | $174.09 |
| Fort Worth | $395.08 | $160.59 |
| Fresno | $421.49 | $160.85 |
| Galveston | $396.28 | $160.13 |
| Hanford-Corcoran | $421.49 | $160.85 |
| Hawaii, Guam | $431.56 | $161.16 |
| Houston | $404.15 | $168.00 |
| Idaho | $370.17 | $151.38 |
| Indiana | $372.29 | $151.83 |
| Iowa | $367.70 | $150.10 |
| Kansas | $366.20 | $151.22 |
| Kentucky | $367.96 | $156.55 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (Los Angeles/Orange Cnty) | $449.96 | $168.63 |
| Madera | $421.49 | $160.85 |
| Manhattan | $459.93 | $183.59 |
| Merced | $421.49 | $160.85 |
| Metropolitan Boston | $456.24 | $172.29 |
| Metropolitan Kansas City | $382.65 | $159.34 |
| Metropolitan Philadelphia | $415.86 | $168.30 |
| Metropolitan St. Louis | $386.59 | $160.20 |
| Miami | $433.08 | $185.52 |
| Minnesota | $397.70 | $152.99 |
| Mississippi | $357.71 | $152.95 |
| Modesto | $421.49 | $160.85 |
| Montana** | $399.78 | $161.97 |
| Napa | $487.38 | $173.94 |
| Nebraska | $369.63 | $150.13 |
| Nevada** | $397.69 | $159.63 |
| New Hampshire | $409.33 | $161.76 |
| New Mexico | $379.80 | $161.72 |
| New Orleans | $385.48 | $161.70 |
| North Carolina | $376.14 | $154.26 |
| North Dakota** | $391.28 | $153.46 |
| Northern Nj | $451.83 | $175.97 |
| Nyc Suburbs/Long Island | $471.27 | $188.51 |
| Ohio | $375.92 | $158.80 |
| Oklahoma | $367.09 | $154.72 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $447.67 | $166.58 |
| Portland | $428.51 | $164.30 |
| Poughkpsie/N Nyc Suburbs | $433.96 | $173.56 |
| Puerto Rico | $402.63 | $162.20 |
| Queens | $463.38 | $182.28 |
| Redding | $421.49 | $160.85 |
| Rest Of California | $421.49 | $160.85 |
| Rest Of Florida | $394.89 | $167.54 |
| Rest Of Georgia | $372.77 | $160.64 |
| Rest Of Illinois | $383.89 | $166.77 |
| Rest Of Louisiana | $367.48 | $157.01 |
| Rest Of Maine | $372.31 | $153.52 |
| Rest Of Maryland | $403.04 | $162.37 |
| Rest Of Massachusetts | $413.27 | $162.85 |
| Rest Of Michigan | $377.66 | $160.53 |
| Rest Of Missouri | $361.36 | $156.37 |
| Rest Of New Jersey | $430.97 | $171.27 |
| Rest Of New York | $381.75 | $155.82 |
| Rest Of Oregon | $394.44 | $157.58 |
| Rest Of Pennsylvania | $376.40 | $158.08 |
| Rest Of Texas | $384.35 | $158.66 |
| Rest Of Washington | $412.42 | $162.00 |
| Rhode Island | $409.44 | $163.78 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $426.16 | $165.51 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $442.06 | $165.48 |
| Salinas | $440.41 | $164.78 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $450.59 | $166.17 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (Marin Cnty) | $515.56 | $180.24 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (San Francisco/San Mateo/Alameda/Contra Costa Cnty) | $515.07 | $179.76 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty) | $527.14 | $184.21 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (Santa Clara Cnty) | $525.14 | $182.21 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $433.36 | $162.49 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $454.76 | $165.82 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $442.01 | $164.72 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $459.33 | $167.30 |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | $465.29 | $173.49 |
| South Carolina | $376.69 | $156.95 |
| South Dakota** | $390.27 | $152.46 |
| Southern Maine | $392.03 | $156.35 |
| Stockton | $421.49 | $160.85 |
| Suburban Chicago | $419.11 | $174.88 |
| Tennessee | $368.05 | $151.88 |
| Utah | $381.79 | $158.24 |
| Vallejo | $486.67 | $173.23 |
| Vermont | $389.95 | $154.52 |
| Virgin Islands | $402.63 | $162.20 |
| Virginia | $390.90 | $157.12 |
| Visalia | $421.49 | $160.85 |
| West Virginia | $369.86 | $163.20 |
| Wisconsin | $378.28 | $150.46 |
| Wyoming** | $396.07 | $158.26 |
| Yuba City | $421.49 | $160.85 |
52270 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.
$353.94
$474.32
Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.
View every state and territory as a table
| State / territory | Office rate range | Localities |
|---|---|---|
| AK | $466.07 | 1 |
| AL | $359.09 | 1 |
| AR | $353.94 | 1 |
| AZ | $389.19 | 1 |
| CA | $421.49–$527.14 | 29 |
| CO | $415.64 | 1 |
| CT | $426.26 | 1 |
| DC | $456.46 | 1 |
| DE | $395.60 | 1 |
| FL | $394.89–$433.08 | 3 |
| GA | $372.77–$407.44 | 2 |
| GU | $431.56 | 1 |
| HI | $431.56 | 1 |
| IA | $367.70 | 1 |
| ID | $370.17 | 1 |
| IL | $383.89–$420.55 | 4 |
| IN | $372.29 | 1 |
| KS | $366.20 | 1 |
| KY | $367.96 | 1 |
| LA | $367.48–$385.48 | 2 |
| MA | $413.27–$456.24 | 2 |
| MD | $403.04–$456.46 | 3 |
| ME | $372.31–$392.03 | 2 |
| MI | $377.66–$400.01 | 2 |
| MN | $397.70 | 1 |
| MO | $361.36–$386.59 | 3 |
| MS | $357.71 | 1 |
| MT | $399.78 | 1 |
| NC | $376.14 | 1 |
| ND | $391.28 | 1 |
| NE | $369.63 | 1 |
| NH | $409.33 | 1 |
| NJ | $430.97–$451.83 | 2 |
| NM | $379.80 | 1 |
| NV | $397.69 | 1 |
| NY | $381.75–$471.27 | 5 |
| OH | $375.92 | 1 |
| OK | $367.09 | 1 |
| OR | $394.44–$428.51 | 2 |
| PA | $376.40–$415.86 | 2 |
| PR | $402.63 | 1 |
| RI | $409.44 | 1 |
| SC | $376.69 | 1 |
| SD | $390.27 | 1 |
| TN | $368.05 | 1 |
| TX | $373.96–$414.39 | 8 |
| UT | $381.79 | 1 |
| VA | $390.90–$456.46 | 2 |
| VI | $402.63 | 1 |
| VT | $389.95 | 1 |
| WA | $412.42–$465.29 | 2 |
| WI | $378.28 | 1 |
| WV | $369.86 | 1 |
| WY | $396.07 | 1 |
How the 52270 rate is calculated
Each of 52270’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 · 52270
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 3.28Practice expense 8.26Malpractice 0.43
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 52270
The CMS indicators that decide how 52270 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 52270
Urethrotomy
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 000 | Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is included. |
| Multiple procedures | 3 | Endoscopy family rules apply. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 1 | Not paid (statutory restriction). |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
52270 without 51 · national office
$399.81
Urethrotomy
52270-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$199.91
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%).
52270 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
52270 vs 52276 vs 52281 vs 52275: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 52276Urethral stricture treatment
- 52270 is specific to internal urethrotomy in the female urethra. 52276 identifies direct-vision internal urethrotomy; use the code that matches the documented procedure.
- 52281Urethral dilation
- 52281 describes calibration or dilation of a urethral stricture or stenosis. 52270 is for incision of the narrowed segment.
- 52275Urethrotomy
- Both are female urethral endoscopic procedures, but 52275 concerns a different urethral intervention. Base selection on the procedure documented, not simply the presence of a stricture.
52270 billing questions
How is this different from urethral dilation?
52270 represents incision of a female urethral stricture. A dilation code is used when the narrowing is treated by widening rather than by incision.
How does 52270 differ from 52276?
52270 is specific to internal urethrotomy in the female urethra. Compare the documented procedure with 52276, which describes direct-vision internal urethrotomy, before selecting the code.
Can modifier 50 be reported?
No. The anatomy and service descriptor make bilateral adjustment inappropriate for 52270.
Is same-day postoperative care separately reported?
Same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included in the 0-day global period. Care on a later date is outside that same-day global period.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be paid?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for 52270. 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
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