Billing code 50433: Catheter placementMedicare rate & RVUs in Georgia
Report percutaneous placement of a catheter extending from the kidney through the ureter, commonly to provide drainage across a ureteral obstruction.
Medicare pays $981.82–$1,093.18 for 50433 in the office in Georgia, from Rest Of Georgia to Atlanta. 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 50433 covers
An interventional radiologist typically accesses the kidney’s collecting system through the skin and advances a nephroureteral catheter through the ureter, often into the bladder. The catheter can provide drainage across a ureteral obstruction or other condition that prevents normal urine flow. Imaging guidance is used to place the catheter, and diagnostic nephrostogram or ureterogram imaging performed as part of the placement is included. The service is commonly performed in a hospital or imaging center.
Report 50433 when the documented service places a nephroureteral catheter, rather than a catheter that remains in the kidney as in 50432. The procedure note should support the indication, percutaneous access, catheter course and endpoint, and laterality. This is a minor procedure with a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. For bilateral procedures, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. When multiple procedures occur in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. Assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted; 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 50433 pays more and less in Georgia
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | $1,093.18 | $224.09 |
| Rest Of Georgia | $981.82 | $218.80 |
How the 50433 rate is calculated
Each of 50433’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 · 50433
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work4.92
4.92 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense26.73
26.73 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.53
0.53 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
32.1800
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$1,074.84
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 50433
The CMS indicators that decide how 50433 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 50433
Catheter placement
| 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) | 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. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
50433 without 50 · national office
$1,074.84
Catheter placement
50433-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$1,612.26
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).
50433 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 50432Nephrostomy placement
- Choose 50433 when the catheter extends through the ureter as a nephroureteral catheter. Choose 50432 when it is placed as a nephrostomy catheter in the kidney.
- 50434Catheter conversion
- 50434 is for converting an existing nephrostomy catheter to a nephroureteral catheter; 50433 is for placement of a nephroureteral catheter.
- 50430Antegrade nephrostogram
- 50430 describes an antegrade nephrostogram or ureterogram through existing access. It does not describe placement of a nephroureteral catheter.
- 50431Antegrade contrast study
- 50431 describes an antegrade nephrostogram or ureterogram using new access. Use 50433 when the service places a nephroureteral catheter, with associated diagnostic imaging included when performed.
50433 billing questions
How is 50433 different from 50432?
50433 is for a catheter advanced through the ureter as a nephroureteral catheter. Use 50432 when the catheter is placed in the kidney and does not extend through the ureter.
Can the nephrostogram or ureterogram be billed separately?
Diagnostic nephrostogram or ureterogram imaging performed as part of the catheter placement is included in 50433.
When should 50434 be considered instead?
50434 describes converting an existing nephrostomy catheter to a nephroureteral catheter. 50433 describes placement of the nephroureteral catheter rather than conversion of an existing catheter.
How should bilateral placement be reported?
For a bilateral procedure, report modifier 50; CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.
What happens when other procedures are performed in the same session?
Under the standard multiple procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. Same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included in 50433’s 0-day global period.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted for 50433. 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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