Choose 51550 for a simple partial cystectomy; 51555 is for a complicated partial excision, such as one affected by prior radiation or surgery.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
51550 Partial cystectomy Medicare reimbursement rates in Connecticut
A urologist removes a limited portion of the bladder wall, typically to excise a localized lesion while preserving the rest of the bladder. Compare 51550 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Connecticut.
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 51550 in Connecticut?
Connecticut 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
No supported rate
Facility setting
$917.61
1 of 1 localities have a supported rate.
Payment area: Connecticut
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.
Urologic surgery
About 51550: Simple partial bladder resection
A urologist removes a limited portion of the bladder wall, typically to excise a localized lesion while preserving the rest of the bladder.
A urologist removes a portion of the bladder wall and closes the remaining bladder. This operation may be selected for a localized bladder lesion that can be excised while preserving the rest of the organ, such as a tumor unsuitable for endoscopic removal. It is generally performed in a hospital operating room. The operative report should identify the lesion and the portion of bladder removed.
Report 51550 for a simple partial cystectomy. A more complicated partial excision, including one affected by prior radiation or surgery, is distinguished by 51555; partial cystectomy with ureteral reimplantation is 51565. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeons require supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 51550
- Global period
- Major surgery with a 90-day global period: the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included.
- Multiple procedures
- Standard multiple procedure reduction: the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50% when performed in the same session.
- Bilateral procedures
- Bilateral adjustment does not apply; the descriptor or anatomy makes modifier 50 inappropriate.
- Assistant at surgery
- Assistant at surgery may be paid.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons paid only with supporting documentation.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU16.80 · 64%
- Practice expense (office) RVU6.80 · 26%
- Malpractice RVU2.49 · 10%
410
Medicare services in 2024 · #3718 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.
51550 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Connecticut, from the same CMS release.
Use 51565 when partial cystectomy includes reimplantation of a ureter; 51550 describes the simple partial excision.
51570 is for removal of the entire bladder, while 51550 removes only a portion.
51530 describes tumor excision through cystotomy; 51550 describes removal of a portion of the bladder wall.
Compare 51550 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
Connecticut →
Office / nonfacility
Unavailable
Facility
$917.61
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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 51550 in Connecticut.
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
6,031
- Code
- 51550
- Physician work
- 16.80
- Practice expense
- 6.80
- Malpractice
- 2.49
GPCI2026.csv
38
- Locality
- Connecticut
- Physician work
- 1.020
- Practice expense
- 1.077
- Malpractice
- 1.210
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 16.80 | × 1.020 | 17.1360 |
| Practice expense | 6.80 | × 1.077 | 7.3236 |
| Malpractice | 2.49 | × 1.210 | 3.0129 |
| Total RVUs | 27.4725 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Facility rate, Connecticut$917.61
Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula
Facility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 16.8 | 1.02 |
| Practice expense | 6.8 | 1.077 |
| Malpractice | 2.49 | 1.21 |
(16.8 × 1.02 + 6.8 × 1.077 + 2.49 × 1.21) × $33.4009 = $917.61
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.
51550 billing questions
How is 51550 different from 51555?
51550 describes a simple partial cystectomy. Use 51555 for a complicated partial excision, with examples including cases affected by prior radiation or surgery.
When is 51565 used instead?
51565 describes partial cystectomy with ureteral reimplantation. The operative report should establish that the ureter was reimplanted.
Does 51550 have a 90-day global period?
Yes. The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included.
Can modifier 50 be used for 51550?
No. CMS identifies the bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code.
How are assistant and co-surgeon services handled?
An assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeons are paid only when supporting documentation is provided.
How does CMS handle another procedure performed in the same session?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures in the session are paid at 50%.
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.
