Billing code 50385: Ureteral stent exchangeMedicare rate & RVUs in Delaware
Report this service when a urologist removes an existing ureteral stent and places a replacement through the urethra, typically using cystoscopy.
Medicare pays $984.90 for 50385 in the office in Delaware (Delaware). 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 50385 covers
A urologist passes a cystoscope through the urethra to reach the bladder and ureteral opening, removes an indwelling ureteral stent, and places a replacement. Fluoroscopy may be used to guide or confirm placement. Exchanges commonly maintain drainage when a stent is due for replacement, becomes obstructed or encrusted, or remains necessary during treatment of stones, ureteral narrowing, or postoperative obstruction. The service is commonly performed in an operating room or ambulatory surgery setting, and may also be performed in an office when appropriate.
Report 50385 for a completed exchange, rather than removal alone or initial stent placement without an existing stent to replace. Documentation should identify the side, indication, existing stent removal, replacement placement, and transurethral approach. Routine cystoscopic access for the exchange is part of the service. CMS assigns a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity; 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.
50385 in Delaware
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Delaware | $984.90 | $187.95 |
How the 50385 rate is calculated
Each of 50385’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 · 50385
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 4.09Practice expense 25.23Malpractice 0.50
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 50385
The CMS indicators that decide how 50385 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 50385
Ureteral stent exchange
| 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 | 2 | Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 1 | Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
50385 without 50 · national office
$996.01
Ureteral stent exchange
50385-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$1,494.02
Both sides on one line with modifier 50 are paid at 150% of the fee schedule amount (subject to multiple-procedure rules with other procedures).
50385 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
50385 vs 50386 vs 50382 vs 52332: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 50386Stent removal
- Choose 50385 when the existing stent is removed and a replacement is placed. Choose 50386 when the transurethral service removes the stent without replacing it.
- 50382Ureteral stent
- Both describe ureteral stent exchange, but 50382 uses a percutaneous route; 50385 uses a transurethral route.
- 52332Ureteral stent
- 52332 is used for placement of an indwelling ureteral stent, rather than exchange of an existing stent through the transurethral route.
50385 billing questions
How does 50385 differ from 50386?
50385 represents removal of an existing ureteral stent followed by placement of a replacement. Use 50386 when the stent is removed without an exchange.
When is 50382 more appropriate?
50382 describes a ureteral stent exchange performed percutaneously. 50385 is for an exchange performed through the urethra.
Can routine cystoscopy be billed separately?
Cystoscopic access used to carry out the transurethral exchange is part of 50385. Do not separately report a diagnostic cystoscopy solely for that access.
What documentation supports reporting 50385?
Document the indication and side, the existing stent's removal, placement of the replacement stent, and the transurethral route.
How is bilateral reporting handled?
CMS pays a bilateral service reported with modifier 50 at 150%. For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others 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 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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