Billing code 32550: Pleural catheterMedicare rate & RVUs in Alabama
Report tunneled pleural catheter placement when a cuffed, indwelling catheter is inserted to manage recurrent fluid in the pleural space.
Medicare pays $696.32 for 32550 in the office in Alabama (Alabama). Which amount applies depends on the service address.
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 9 sections
What 32550 covers
This service places a cuffed catheter through a subcutaneous tunnel into the pleural space, leaving it in place for repeated drainage. Pulmonologists, thoracic surgeons, and interventional radiologists commonly perform the procedure for recurrent pleural effusions, including malignant effusions, in hospital outpatient or office settings. The tunneled route and cuff distinguish this device from a temporary pleural drain.
Select the code when the documentation supports placement of an indwelling tunneled catheter with a cuff, rather than a non-tunneled catheter or a one-time pleural aspiration. Record the indication, catheter type and placement, and the pleural space treated. CMS assigns a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. Assistant-at-surgery services are not paid; 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.
32550 in Alabama
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $696.32 | $169.38 |
How the 32550 rate is calculated
Each of 32550’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 · 32550
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 3.82Practice expense 19.13Malpractice 0.51
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 32550
The CMS indicators that decide how 32550 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 32550
Pleural catheter
| 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 | 0 | No multiple-procedure reduction. |
| 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. |
32550 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
32550 vs 32556 vs 32557 vs 32551 vs 32552: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 32556Pleural catheter
- Choose 32550 for a cuffed catheter placed through a subcutaneous tunnel for ongoing drainage. Code 32556 describes non-tunneled catheter insertion without imaging guidance.
- 32557Pleural catheter
- Choose 32550 for tunneled, cuffed indwelling access. Code 32557 describes non-tunneled pleural catheter insertion with imaging guidance.
- 32551Chest tube
- Code 32551 describes insertion of a chest tube. Use 32550 when the procedure places an indwelling tunneled pleural catheter with a cuff.
- 32552Pleural catheter removal
- Code 32550 is for catheter placement; 32552 is for removal of an indwelling tunneled pleural catheter.
32550 billing questions
How does this differ from codes 32556 and 32557?
Code 32550 describes placement of an indwelling tunneled catheter with a cuff. Codes 32556 and 32557 describe pleural catheter insertion without that tunneled-cuff distinction, with imaging status distinguishing those two codes.
When would a pleural aspiration code be more appropriate?
Use 32554 or 32555 for aspiration of pleural fluid rather than placement of a catheter intended to remain for repeated drainage. The aspiration codes differ according to imaging guidance.
Is same-day preoperative or postoperative care separately included?
CMS assigns 32550 a 0-day global period. Same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included in the procedure.
Can an assistant, co-surgeon, or surgical team be paid?
CMS does not pay for an assistant at surgery for this code. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
What documentation supports reporting 32550?
Document the recurrent pleural-fluid indication and that a cuffed catheter was placed through a tunnel and left indwelling in the pleural space. A temporary drain or one-time aspiration supports a different service.
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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