Billing code 44055: Malrotation correctionMedicare rate & RVUs in Florida
Reports operative correction of intestinal malrotation, typically by a Ladd procedure to address abnormal bowel positioning and reduce volvulus risk.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 44055 in Florida.
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 44055 covers
A surgeon, often a pediatric or general surgeon, corrects abnormal intestinal rotation through an abdominal operation. A Ladd procedure typically divides obstructing congenital bands, broadens the base of the mesentery, and arranges the small and large bowel to reduce the risk of twisting. The procedure is generally performed in an operating room when malrotation requires surgical correction, including cases associated with volvulus or obstruction.
Report 44055 for the operative correction of the malrotation, rather than for an operation that only relieves an obstruction without correcting the abnormal rotation. The operative report should establish the malrotation and describe the corrective work performed. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this anatomy.
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.
Where 44055 pays more and less in Florida
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Lauderdale | Unavailable | $1,553.20 |
| Miami | Unavailable | $1,715.16 |
| Rest Of Florida | Unavailable | $1,469.72 |
How the 44055 rate is calculated
Each of 44055’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 · 44055
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 24.99Practice expense 9.92Malpractice 6.34
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 44055
44055 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 44055
Malrotation correction
| 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) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| 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) | 0.09/0.81/0.10 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 44055
Malrotation correction
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
44055 without 51 · national facility
$1,377.79
Malrotation correction
44055-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$688.90
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%).
44055 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
44055 vs 44050 vs 44020 vs 44005: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 44050Bowel obstruction reduction
- 44055 corrects abnormal intestinal rotation; 44050 describes operative reduction of bowel obstruction. Select based on the work performed, not merely the presence of obstruction.
- 44020Small-bowel exploration
- 44020 describes exploration of the small intestine. It is not a substitute for 44055 when the operation corrects intestinal malrotation.
- 44005Bowel adhesiolysis
- 44005 describes freeing bowel adhesions. Adhesiolysis alone does not correct the congenital abnormal rotation described by 44055.
44055 billing questions
When should 44055 be chosen over 44050?
Use 44055 when the operation corrects intestinal malrotation, such as with a Ladd procedure. Code 44050 describes reduction of bowel obstruction; reduction alone does not establish that malrotation was corrected.
Can an appendectomy be reported with 44055?
An appendectomy may be performed during a Ladd procedure. When it is done for an indicated purpose during another major procedure, 44955 may be reported as an add-on; the operative record should support the indication.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
Should modifier 50 be used?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code and anatomy.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, while team surgery is not permitted.
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
Fee sheets
Put 44055 and the rest of your codes on one sheet
Build a fee sheet from your own code list at your locality, put your payer contracts beside Medicare, and see what changed each quarter.
Build my fee sheetOr price your code list free →