Billing code 52648: Laser prostate surgeryMedicare rate & RVUs in Florida
Transurethral laser vaporization removes obstructive prostate tissue for benign enlargement when the surgeon vaporizes tissue rather than resecting or enucleating it.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 52648 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 52648 covers
A urologist performs this transurethral procedure to relieve obstruction from benign prostate enlargement, often in a patient with bothersome urinary symptoms or retention. The surgeon directs laser energy through an endoscope to vaporize the obstructive tissue. It is performed in an operating room or other surgical setting; unlike tissue-removing techniques, vaporization does not typically yield a resection specimen for pathology.
Report 52648 when the operative technique is laser vaporization, not transurethral resection or laser enucleation. The operative report should identify the laser vaporization method, treated prostate tissue, and the clinical indication. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is not appropriate. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code; 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.
Where 52648 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 | $564.74 |
| Miami | Unavailable | $599.77 |
| Rest Of Florida | Unavailable | $542.76 |
How the 52648 rate is calculated
Each of 52648’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 · 52648
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 9.80Practice expense 4.75Malpractice 1.27
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 52648
52648 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 52648
Laser prostate surgery
| 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) | 1 | Not paid (statutory restriction). |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.08/0.83/0.09 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 52648
Laser prostate surgery
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
52648 without 51 · national facility
$528.40
Laser prostate surgery
52648-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$264.20
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%).
52648 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
52648 vs 52649 vs 52601 vs 52630: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 52649Laser enucleation
- Choose 52648 for laser vaporization and 52649 for laser enucleation. The operative method, not simply use of a laser, distinguishes the codes.
- 52601TURP
- 52648 represents laser vaporization; 52601 represents transurethral resection. Match the code to the technique documented in the operative report.
- 52630Prostate resection
- 52630 is for treating residual or regrown prostate tissue after prior surgery. 52648 describes laser vaporization for the current obstructive prostate condition.
52648 billing questions
How does 52648 differ from 52649?
52648 is for laser vaporization of obstructive prostate tissue. Use 52649 when the surgeon performs laser enucleation instead.
How does 52648 differ from TURP, code 52601?
52648 describes laser vaporization; 52601 describes transurethral resection. Select the code that matches the operative technique documented.
Is control of bleeding included?
Control of bleeding associated with the prostate procedure is included in 52648; it is not separately reported as another prostate procedure.
What postoperative care is included in the global period?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
Can modifier 50 or an assistant-at-surgery claim be used?
Modifier 50 is not appropriate for this prostate procedure. Medicare does not pay an assistant-at-surgery claim for 52648.
How are other procedures in the same session paid?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full; other procedures in the session are subject to the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction.
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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