Billing code 50592: Renal tumor ablationMedicare rate & RVUs in Illinois
Report this service when a clinician treats a renal tumor percutaneously by applying radiofrequency energy through an image-guided probe.
Medicare pays $2,427.41–$2,705.66 for 50592 in the office in Illinois, from Rest Of Illinois to Suburban Chicago. 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 50592 covers
An interventional radiologist or urologist places an electrode through the skin into a renal tumor and applies radiofrequency energy to destroy it. Imaging guides probe placement and treatment. The procedure is commonly performed in a hospital interventional radiology or operating-room setting. It provides local treatment for selected renal masses when a percutaneous approach is chosen instead of surgical excision. Unlike laparoscopic ablation, access is through the skin rather than ports and direct operative exposure.
Report 50592 for percutaneous radiofrequency treatment of renal tumor(s), not for cryoablation or laparoscopic treatment. The procedure record should identify the renal target and side, percutaneous approach, radiofrequency technique, and treatment performed. CMS assigns a 10-day minor-procedure global period, so related postoperative visits during that period are included. For same-session procedures, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures at 50%. Bilateral treatment with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. CMS does not pay an assistant at surgery; 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 50592 pays more and less in Illinois
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
4 payment localities
$2427.41 to $2705.66
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $2,665.24 | $329.25 |
| East St. Louis | $2,454.50 | $316.08 |
| Rest Of Illinois | $2,427.41 | $305.26 |
| Suburban Chicago | $2,705.66 | $318.54 |
How the 50592 rate is calculated
Each of 50592’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 · 50592
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work6.39
6.39 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense71.42
71.42 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.69
0.69 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
78.5000
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$2,621.97
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 50592
50592 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 50592
Renal tumor ablation
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 010 | Minor procedure: the day of the procedure plus 10 days after are 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. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.10/0.80/0.10 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 50592
Renal tumor ablation
10-day global period ends
Oct 11, 2026
Covers Oct 1, 2026 through Oct 11, 2026 (11 days).
Visit on Oct 31, 2026
After the global period ends: visits and procedures are billed normally.
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
50592 without 50 · national office
$2,621.97
Renal tumor ablation
50592-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$3,932.95
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).
50592 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 50593Renal ablation
- Both treat renal tumors percutaneously, but 50592 uses radiofrequency energy and 50593 uses cryoablation.
- 50542Renal mass ablation
- 50592 uses percutaneous access; 50542 is laparoscopic renal mass ablation.
- 50543Partial nephrectomy
- 50592 destroys a tumor with percutaneous radiofrequency energy; 50543 is laparoscopic partial nephrectomy, which removes part of the kidney.
50592 billing questions
When should 50592 be chosen instead of 50593?
Use 50592 for percutaneous renal tumor ablation with radiofrequency energy. Use 50593 when the percutaneous ablation method is cryoablation.
How does 50592 differ from laparoscopic renal ablation?
50592 describes treatment through the skin with a percutaneous probe. Code 50542 is for laparoscopic ablation using operative access.
Can imaging guidance be reported separately?
Imaging is used to guide probe placement and treatment, but the guidance integral to the renal ablation is not separately reported.
How is bilateral treatment reported?
For bilateral treatment, report modifier 50; CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.
Are postoperative visits included?
Related postoperative visits during the 10-day global period are included in the procedure payment.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be paid for this procedure?
CMS does not pay an assistant at surgery for 50592. 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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