Billing code 53520: Urethral repairMedicare rate & RVUs in Florida
Repair a documented urethral defect by operative closure or reconstruction, distinguishing this service from repair of a urethral injury.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 53520 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 53520 covers
A urologist or other qualified surgeon uses this code for operative repair of a defect in the urethra. The procedure addresses the urethral defect itself, with the operative approach and repair tailored to its location and extent. It is generally performed in an operating room rather than as an office service.
Report the code when the operative note identifies the urethral defect and describes the repair performed; distinguish a defect repair from a repair coded specifically as treatment of a urethral injury. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care for 90 days. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code, and 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 53520 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 | $546.88 |
| Miami | Unavailable | $580.36 |
| Rest Of Florida | Unavailable | $525.33 |
How the 53520 rate is calculated
Each of 53520’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 · 53520
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 9.24Practice expense 4.90Malpractice 1.20
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 53520
53520 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 53520
Urethral repair
| 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 · 53520
Urethral repair
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
53520 without 51 · national facility
$512.37
Urethral repair
53520-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$256.19
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%).
53520 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
53520 vs 53502 vs 53505 vs 53510 vs 53515: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 53502Urethral repair
- This code addresses a urethral defect. Code 53502 is for urethral injury repair; base selection on the operative diagnosis and the full descriptor.
- 53505Urethral repair
- Use 53520 for repair of a documented urethral defect, not an injury repair described by 53505.
- 53510Urethral injury repair
- Code 53510 describes urethral injury repair. This code is for repair of a urethral defect rather than an injury.
- 53515Urethral repair
- Choose 53515 when the operative service meets its injury-repair description; use this code for a urethral defect repair.
53520 billing questions
How is this code distinguished from the urethral injury repair codes?
Use this code for repair of a documented urethral defect. Codes 53502, 53505, 53510, and 53515 address urethral injury repair; select among them using the specific injury circumstances and the full code descriptions.
What documentation supports reporting this service?
The operative report should identify the urethral defect, describe its location and extent, and explain the repair performed. It should make clear whether the service treats a defect or a urethral injury.
Can modifier 50 be used for bilateral repair?
No. The CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply to this code, and modifier 50 is inappropriate.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during the 90 days after surgery.
How are other procedures in the same session paid?
Under the standard multiple procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are paid at 50% when performed in the same session.
Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be reported?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code. Co-surgeons and team surgery are 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
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