Billing code 44050: Bowel obstruction reductionMedicare rate & RVUs in Georgia
Reports operative reduction of an intestinal obstruction, such as volvulus, intussusception, or internal hernia, when surgery restores bowel position or patency.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 44050 in Georgia.
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 44050 covers
A surgeon reports this service for operative reduction of an intestinal obstruction, including volvulus, intussusception, or internal hernia. The work centers on releasing or repositioning the obstructed bowel; it is not the same as nonoperative reduction, such as an enema for intussusception. These procedures are typically performed in a hospital operating room, including during emergency surgery.
Choose the code when the operative work reduces the obstruction, rather than solely decompressing bowel, freeing adhesions, or correcting malrotation. The operative report should identify the obstruction and its site, describe the findings and reduction performed, and distinguish any additional procedures. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this intestinal service. An assistant may be paid; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is 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 44050 pays more and less in Georgia
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | Unavailable | $912.90 |
| Rest Of Georgia | Unavailable | $879.61 |
How the 44050 rate is calculated
Each of 44050’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 · 44050
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work15.13
15.13 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense7.39
7.39 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice3.87
3.87 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
26.3900
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$881.45
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 44050
44050 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 44050
Bowel obstruction reduction
| 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 · 44050
Bowel obstruction reduction
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
44050 without 51 · national facility
$881.45
Bowel obstruction reduction
44050-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$440.73
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%).
44050 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 44005Bowel adhesiolysis
- Choose 44005 for operative freeing of intestinal adhesions. Choose 44050 when the surgeon reduces an obstruction such as volvulus, intussusception, or internal hernia.
- 44021Bowel decompression
- 44021 represents small-bowel decompression. This code represents operative reduction of the obstruction itself.
- 44055Malrotation correction
- 44055 is for surgical correction of intestinal malrotation. Use 44050 when the operation reduces an obstruction without that malrotation-correction service.
44050 billing questions
When should this code be chosen over bowel decompression?
Use this code when the surgeon operatively reduces the obstruction. A service limited to relieving bowel distention by decompression is a different procedure.
Does this code describe nonoperative reduction of intussusception?
No. It describes operative reduction; nonoperative reduction, such as an enema procedure, is not the service represented here.
Can modifier 50 be used?
No. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this intestinal reduction service.
What documentation supports reporting the code?
Document the obstruction's location and cause when known, the operative findings, and how the surgeon reduced it. Identify other procedures performed during the same session separately in the operative report.
How are assistants and co-surgeons handled?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; 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
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