CPT code 50976: Ureteroscopy2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Georgia
Reports endoscopic treatment performed within the ureter, rather than ureteroscopic inspection or biopsy alone, when the documented service matches this code.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 50976 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 50976 covers
A urologist uses a ureteroscope to perform a therapeutic procedure within the ureter. The endoscope provides direct visualization and access through the urinary tract; the clinical record should identify the condition treated and the work performed. This service is typically provided in an operating room or endoscopy setting when ureteroscopic treatment is required, rather than for inspection or tissue sampling alone.
Report 50976 when the operative documentation supports the therapeutic service represented by this code. It has a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When related endoscopies are performed together, CMS applies endoscopy family pricing. For bilateral services, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity; 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 50976 pays more and less in Georgia
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | Unavailable | $417.57 |
| Rest Of Georgia | Unavailable | $406.95 |
How the 50976 rate is calculated
Each of 50976’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 · 50976
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work8.80
8.80 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense2.27
2.27 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.14
1.14 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
12.2100
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$407.82
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 50976
The CMS indicators that decide how 50976 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 50976
Ureteroscopy
| 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 | 3 | Endoscopy family rules apply. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 1 | Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| 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
50976 without 50 · national facility
$407.82
Ureteroscopy
50976-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$611.73
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).
50976 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 50970Ureter endoscopy
- 50970 represents diagnostic ureteroscopy. Use 50976 when the procedure includes the therapeutic service supported by its code descriptor, not inspection alone.
- 50974Ureteroscopy
- 50974 is for ureteroscopy with biopsy. It is not the choice for a therapeutic procedure merely because tissue is inspected during treatment.
- 50972Ureteroscopy
- 50972 describes ureteroscopy with a catheter service. Distinguish it from 50976 by the actual work documented in the operative report.
50976 billing questions
How does 50976 differ from diagnostic ureteroscopy?
50976 represents ureteroscopic treatment, while 50970 is the diagnostic ureteroscopy code. The operative note should support treatment beyond inspection.
Should 50976 be used when the ureter is biopsied?
Use the biopsy code, 50974, when the service is ureteroscopic tissue sampling. Report 50976 when the documented service is the therapeutic procedure represented by that code.
How are related ureteroscopic procedures paid when performed together?
CMS applies endoscopy family pricing when related endoscopies are performed together. Same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included in the 0-day global period.
How should bilateral treatment be reported?
For bilateral services, report modifier 50; CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity. 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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