Billing code 55845: Radical prostatectomyMedicare rate & RVUs in Alaska
Reports open retropubic radical prostate removal with bilateral dissection of the external iliac, hypogastric, and obturator lymph-node basins.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 55845 in Alaska.
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 55845 covers
A urologist uses an open retropubic approach to remove the prostate for cancer and dissect pelvic lymph nodes on both sides, including the external iliac, hypogastric, and obturator basins. The code fits an operation that includes this extensive nodal dissection, rather than prostate removal alone or a less extensive node dissection. These procedures are generally performed in a hospital operating room.
Report the code when the operative note supports the retropubic approach, radical prostate removal, bilateral dissection, and the specified nodal basins. The bilateral work is built into the code; modifier 50 does not increase payment. The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included in the global period. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is 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.
55845 in Alaska*
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska* | Unavailable | $1,590.33 |
How the 55845 rate is calculated
Each of 55845’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 · 55845
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 24.55Practice expense 8.49Malpractice 3.17
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 55845
55845 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 55845
Radical prostatectomy
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 090 | Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included. |
| Multiple procedures | 2 | Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 2 | Already bilateral by definition: paid once at 100%. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 2 | Paid. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.10/0.80/0.10 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 55845
Radical prostatectomy
90-day global period ends
Dec 30, 2026
Covers Sep 30, 2026 through Dec 30, 2026 (92 days, including the day before surgery).
Visit on Oct 31, 2026
Day 30 of the 90-day post-op period: related follow-up care is included in the surgical payment.
Pre-op dayGlobal period
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
55845 without 51 · national facility
$1,209.45
Radical prostatectomy
55845-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$604.73
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%).
55845 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
55845 vs 55840 vs 55842 vs 55815 vs 55866: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 55840Radical prostatectomy
- Both describe open retropubic radical prostate removal, but 55840 does not include the extensive bilateral pelvic node dissection represented by 55845.
- 55842Radical prostatectomy
- Use 55842 for a more limited bilateral pelvic node dissection. Use 55845 when the documented dissection includes the external iliac, hypogastric, and obturator basins.
- 55815Radical prostatectomy
- This is the perineal approach with extensive bilateral pelvic node dissection; 55845 is the retropubic approach.
- 55866Prostatectomy
- This code is for laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, including robotic assistance; 55845 describes an open retropubic operation.
55845 billing questions
How does this differ from 55842?
55845 is for the more extensive bilateral nodal dissection that includes the external iliac, hypogastric, and obturator basins. Use 55842 when the documented bilateral pelvic dissection is more limited.
Should modifier 50 be added for the bilateral dissection?
No. The code is priced for bilateral work, and modifier 50 does not increase payment.
Can the lymph-node dissection be billed separately?
The bilateral dissection of the specified pelvic basins is included in this procedure. The operative note should establish the extent of nodal work supporting this code.
What postoperative care is included?
The global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team-surgery payment is not permitted for this code.
How is this distinguished from 55866?
55845 describes an open retropubic operation. Code 55866 is for a laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, including when performed with robotic assistance.
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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