$327.39
52005 describes cystourethroscopy with ureteral catheterization; 50606 is the add-on for endoluminal tissue biopsy, not the access procedure.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
50606 Urothelial biopsy Medicare reimbursement rates in Alaska
Reports endoluminal tissue sampling from the ureter or renal pelvis, typically during evaluation of a suspected upper urinary tract lesion. Compare 50606 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Alaska.
Amounts below use the non-QP conversion factor for participating physicians. These are base physician payments before claim-level adjustments, not patient costs or total hospital charges.
What does Medicare pay for 50606 in Alaska?
Alaska has 1 payment locality in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the payment area shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
$544.43
1 of 1 localities have a supported rate.
Payment area: Alaska*
One mapped payment locality.
Facility setting
$171.99
1 of 1 localities have a supported rate.
Payment area: Alaska*
One mapped payment locality.
These are locality ranges, not averages or address-specific quotes. A facility-setting amount covers the physician service; it does not include a hospital’s separate bill. Choose a locality below to inspect its calculation, compare other payment areas, or price a percentage of Medicare.
Urology procedure
About 50606: Endoluminal ureter or renal pelvis biopsy
Reports endoluminal tissue sampling from the ureter or renal pelvis, typically during evaluation of a suspected upper urinary tract lesion.
A urologist obtains tissue from the inner lining of the ureter or renal pelvis using an instrument passed through the urinary tract. The sample may be taken when imaging, visual findings, or urine testing raise concern for an upper-tract lesion, including possible urothelial cancer. This is distinct from collecting urine or washings for cytology, which does not provide a tissue biopsy.
Code 50606 is an add-on and must be reported with a qualifying primary procedure; cystourethroscopy with ureteral catheterization, code 52005, is a common companion when it provides access. Document the side, sampled site, biopsy performed, clinical reason, and associated primary procedure. CMS includes payment for this add-on within the primary procedure’s global period. For bilateral work, report modifier 50; CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.
CMS billing rules for 50606
- Global period
- Add-on code: billed only together with a primary procedure and paid within that procedure's global period.
- Bilateral procedures
- Bilateral procedure with modifier 50 is paid at 150%.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU3.08 · 22%
- Practice expense (office) RVU10.76 · 76%
- Malpractice RVU0.40 · 3%
56
Medicare services in 2024 · #5283 by national volume
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.
50606 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Alaska, from the same CMS release.
No office rate
52354 applies when biopsy and/or fulguration is performed through ureteroscopy or pyeloscopy; 50606 describes endoluminal biopsy reported with a qualifying primary procedure.
No office rate
52351 is diagnostic ureteroscopy or pyeloscopy. When tissue is biopsied during that endoscopic examination, consider the biopsy service described by 52354 rather than reporting diagnostic examination alone.
Compare 50606 by payment locality
Find the payment area for your service address, then open its rate page for calculation inputs, release history and the percentage-of-Medicare tool. A city may cross payment-area boundaries; the ZIP lookup above helps resolve the location.
1 of 1 payment localities
Alaska* →
Office / nonfacility
$544.43
Facility
$171.99
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How this local rate is calculated
Each RVU component is multiplied by its own geographic practice cost index (GPCI). The three adjusted components are added, then multiplied by the conversion factor. These are the inputs used for 50606 in Alaska*.
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
5,957
- Code
- 50606
- Physician work
- 3.08
- Practice expense
- 10.76
- Malpractice
- 0.40
GPCI2026.csv
5
- Locality
- Alaska*
- Physician work
- 1.500
- Practice expense
- 1.065
- Malpractice
- 0.551
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 3.08 | × 1.500 | 4.6200 |
| Practice expense | 10.76 | × 1.065 | 11.4594 |
| Malpractice | 0.40 | × 0.551 | 0.2204 |
| Total RVUs | 16.2998 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Office / nonfacility rate, Alaska*$544.43
Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula
Office / nonfacility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 3.08 | 1.5 |
| Practice expense | 10.76 | 1.065 |
| Malpractice | 0.4 | 0.551 |
(3.08 × 1.5 + 10.76 × 1.065 + 0.4 × 0.551) × $33.4009 = $544.43
Facility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 3.08 | 1.5 |
| Practice expense | 0.29 | 1.065 |
| Malpractice | 0.4 | 0.551 |
(3.08 × 1.5 + 0.29 × 1.065 + 0.4 × 0.551) × $33.4009 = $171.99
The office and facility calculations use their respective practice-expense RVUs. The facility amount here is the physician fee, not a separate hospital or facility bill.
50606 billing questions
When should 50606 be chosen instead of 52354?
Use 50606 for endoluminal biopsy of the ureter or renal pelvis with a qualifying primary procedure. Code 52354 describes biopsy and/or fulguration performed with ureteroscopy or pyeloscopy.
Can 50606 be reported by itself?
No. It is an add-on code and must be reported with a qualifying primary procedure; 52005 is a common companion when ureteral catheterization provides access.
How is bilateral biopsy reported?
Report modifier 50 for bilateral work. CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.
What documentation supports 50606?
Document the indication, side and site sampled, that tissue biopsy was performed, and the primary procedure reported with the add-on.
Is 50606 paid outside the primary procedure’s global period?
No. CMS includes payment for 50606 within the global period of the primary procedure.
Where these rates come from
FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense, and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indices and the applicable conversion factor. Unavailable or separately priced services are labeled rather than assigned a made-up amount.
Source: RVU26D. Effective 2026-10-01 through the day before 2027-01-01.
5,95450593,,Perc cryo ablate renal tum,A,,8.66,95.37,,2.33,,0.95,104.98,11.94,0,010,0.10,0.80,0.10,2,1,2,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
5,95550600,,Exploration of ureter,A,,16.74,6.27,NA,6.27,,2.15,25.16,25.16,0,090,0.08,0.83,0.09,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
5,95650605,,Insert ureteral support,A,,16.37,7.79,NA,7.79,,3.86,28.02,28.02,0,090,0.08,0.83,0.09,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
5,95750606,,Endoluminal bx urtr rnl plvs,A,,3.08,10.76,,0.29,,0.40,14.24,3.77,0,ZZZ,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,1,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
5,9585060F,,Fndngs mammo 2pt w/in 3 days,I,,0.00,0.00,,0.00,,0.00,0.00,0.00,9,XXX,0.00,0.00,0.00,9,9,9,9,9,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
5,95950610,,Removal of ureter stone,A,,16.82,6.37,NA,6.37,,2.16,25.35,25.35,0,090,0.08,0.83,0.09,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
5,96050620,,Removal of ureter stone,A,,16.02,6.21,NA,6.21,,2.06,24.29,24.29,0,090,0.08,0.83,0.09,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,,,,,,
3Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC),State,Locality Number,Locality Name,2026 PW GPCI (with 1.0 Floor)***,2026 PE GPCI,2026 MP GPCI
410112,AL,00,ALABAMA,1.000,0.875,0.566
502102,AK,01,ALASKA*,1.500,1.065,0.551
603102,AZ,00,ARIZONA,1.000,0.969,0.856
707102,AR,13,ARKANSAS,1.000,0.859,0.515
801112,CA,54,BAKERSFIELD,1.019,1.096,0.609