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Billing code 52276: Urethral stricture treatmentMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports endoscopic incision of a urethral stricture under direct vision, typically when a urologist treats scar-related narrowing of the urethral lumen.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities6.4K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $233.47 for 52276 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 52276

Urethral stricture treatment

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
4.87
Total RVUs
6.99
Global days
000

National rate · 2026

$233.47

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 52276 → · 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 52276 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 52276 covers

A urologist passes a cystourethroscope through the urethra and directly visualizes a scarred, narrowed segment before incising it to open the lumen. This procedure is commonly performed in a hospital outpatient department or ambulatory surgery center for urethral stricture disease; the operative report should identify the stricture and describe the incision performed.

Select 52276 when the surgeon treats the narrowing by incision under direct vision, rather than by dilation alone or a meatotomy for narrowing at the urethral opening. Document the stricture location, endoscopic findings, and technique. 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; assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted, 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 52276 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

52276 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$218.22
Alaska*Unavailable$308.76
ArizonaUnavailable$228.94
ArkansasUnavailable$216.36
AtlantaUnavailable$238.92
AustinUnavailable$234.34
BakersfieldUnavailable$233.28
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$244.64
BeaumontUnavailable$227.49
BrazoriaUnavailable$229.77

52276 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
52276 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 52276 rate is calculated

Each of 52276’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 · 52276

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 4.87Practice expense 1.50Malpractice 0.62

6.9900 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$233.47

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 52276

The CMS indicators that decide how 52276 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 52276

Urethral stricture treatment

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

52276 without 51 · national facility

$233.47

Urethral stricture treatment

52276-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$116.74

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

52276 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

52276 vs 52281 vs 52284 vs 52270: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 52276
    Urethral stricture treatment · 4.87 wRVU
    —
  • 52281
    Urethral dilation · 2.68 wRVU
    $310.29
  • 52284
    Urethral dilation · 3.02 wRVU
    $2,682.76
  • 52270
    Urethrotomy · 3.28 wRVU
    $399.81

How to choose

52281Urethral dilation
Choose 52276 for direct-vision incision of a urethral stricture. Choose 52281 for cystourethroscopic calibration and/or dilation.
52284Urethral dilation
52276 identifies direct-vision internal incision; 52284 represents a distinct mechanical approach to treating urethral narrowing. Base selection on the documented technique.
52270Urethrotomy
52270 is a urethral meatotomy procedure. Use 52276 when the operative service is incision of a urethral stricture under direct vision.

Codes related to 52276

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

Codes related to 52276
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
52281Urethral dilationUsed for cystourethroscopic calibration and/or dilation of a urethral stricture or stenosis.$275.03–$406.83
52284Urethral dilationAddresses urethral narrowing through a distinct mechanical treatment approach.$2,314.23–$3,823.25
52270UrethrotomyMeatotomy is the relevant alternative when treatment is directed at the urethral meatus.$353.94–$527.14

52276 billing questions

When is 52276 preferable to 52281?

Use 52276 when the surgeon incises the urethral stricture under direct vision. Code 52281 is for cystourethroscopic calibration and/or dilation of a stricture or stenosis.

How does 52276 differ from 52284?

Both address urethral narrowing, but 52276 describes direct-vision internal incision. Review the operative technique to determine whether the service fits 52284’s distinct mechanical treatment approach.

Can modifier 50 be reported?

No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inapplicable because the descriptor or anatomy makes modifier 50 inappropriate.

What same-day care is included?

The 0-day global period includes preoperative and postoperative care on the procedure date. Related endoscopies performed together are subject to CMS endoscopy-family pricing.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be paid?

CMS restricts assistant-at-surgery payment 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 52276PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 6,122 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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