Billing code 57155: Brachytherapy applicatorMedicare rate & RVUs in Guam
Placement of a uterine tandem and vaginal ovoid applicators for intracavitary brachytherapy, commonly used to treat gynecologic cancers such as cervical cancer.
Medicare pays $420.38 for 57155 in the office in Guam (Hawaii, Guam). 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 57155 covers
billing code 57155 covers placement of a uterine tandem through the cervix into the uterine cavity and vaginal ovoid applicators around the cervix, when that applicator arrangement is used for intracavitary brachytherapy. A radiation oncologist or another qualified physician typically performs the placement, often in an operating room or procedure setting with anesthesia. The applicators position the radioactive source for treatment of gynecologic malignancies, including cervical cancer.
Report the placement when the documented procedure uses a uterine tandem and/or vaginal ovoids; the record should identify the applicator arrangement and its placement for brachytherapy. The code represents applicator placement, not radiation dose delivery. CMS assigns a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. 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 inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted; co-surgeons are permitted, while 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.
57155 in Hawaii, Guam
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii, Guam | $420.38 | $239.61 |
How the 57155 rate is calculated
Each of 57155’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 · 57155
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 5.02Practice expense 6.42Malpractice 0.46
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 57155
The CMS indicators that decide how 57155 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 57155
Brachytherapy applicator
| 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) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 1 | Not paid (statutory restriction). |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 2 | Permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
57155 without 51 · national office
$397.47
Brachytherapy applicator
57155-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$198.74
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%).
57155 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
57155 vs 57156 vs 77770: national Medicare rates
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How to choose
- 57156Brachytherapy insertion
- 57156 is for placement of a vaginal brachytherapy device; 57155 is for a uterine tandem and/or vaginal ovoid applicator arrangement.
- 77770HDR brachytherapy
- 77770 reports simple brachytherapy radiation delivery, not applicator placement. Use 57155 for the tandem-and-ovoid placement itself.
57155 billing questions
When should 57155 be chosen over 57156?
Use 57155 for placement of a uterine tandem and/or vaginal ovoids. Code 57156 describes placement of a vaginal brachytherapy device without that tandem-and-ovoid arrangement.
Does 57155 include radiation treatment delivery?
No. It reports applicator placement; report the appropriate brachytherapy delivery service separately when radiation is delivered and the requirements for that service are met.
Can modifier 50 be appended when applicators are placed on both sides?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code, so modifier 50 should not be used.
How does the 0-day global period affect same-day care?
Same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included in 57155. The code has no postoperative global days beyond the date of service.
Can an assistant surgeon report services with 57155?
CMS applies a statutory restriction to assistant-at-surgery payment for this code. Co-surgeons are permitted, but team surgery is not.
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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