Billing code 51729: Urodynamic studyMedicare rate & RVUs in Illinois
Reports complex bladder pressure testing that includes voiding pressure measurements and a urethral pressure profile during evaluation of lower urinary tract dysfunction.
Medicare pays $337.10–$369.69 for 51729 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 51729 covers
This complex urodynamic study records bladder pressure during filling, pressure during voiding, and a urethral pressure profile. Urologists and urogynecologists commonly use it when assessing conditions such as urinary incontinence, retention, suspected outlet obstruction, or neurogenic bladder. Testing is generally performed in an office or facility with urodynamic equipment and trained staff; the clinician interprets the pressure data alongside the patient’s symptoms and other findings.
Report 51729 when documentation supports all three parts of the service, rather than a complex cystometrogram with only voiding pressure or only urethral pressure testing. The claim may represent the global service or the professional interpretation with modifier 26 or technical work with modifier TC. Same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included in its 0-day global period. When other procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented 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 51729 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
$337.10 to $369.69
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $369.34 | Unavailable |
| East St. Louis | $343.60 | Unavailable |
| Rest Of Illinois | $337.10 | Unavailable |
| Suburban Chicago | $369.69 | Unavailable |
How the 51729 rate is calculated
Each of 51729’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 · 51729
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work2.45
2.45 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense7.84
7.84 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.31
0.31 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
10.6000
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$354.05
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 51729
The CMS indicators that decide how 51729 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 51729
Urodynamic study
| 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) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 1 | Diagnostic test with separate professional (26) and technical (TC) components. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 26 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
51729 without 26 · national office
$354.05
Urodynamic study
51729-26 · Professional component
$125.92
Pays only the interpretation and report.
51729 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 51728Urodynamic study
- 51728 includes complex cystometry and voiding pressure studies. Choose 51729 when a urethral pressure profile is also performed.
- 51727Urodynamic testing
- 51727 includes complex cystometry and urethral pressure profiling. Choose 51729 when voiding pressure studies are performed as well.
- 51726Cystometrogram
- 51726 reports complex cystometry alone. It does not represent the combination of voiding pressure studies and urethral pressure profiling included in 51729.
- 51725Cystometrogram
- 51725 is a simple cystometrogram. It is not the complex study with both voiding pressure and urethral pressure profile testing represented by 51729.
51729 billing questions
How does 51729 differ from 51728?
51729 includes complex cystometry, voiding pressure measurement, and a urethral pressure profile. 51728 includes the complex cystometrogram and voiding pressure studies without the urethral pressure profile component.
When should 51727 be reported instead?
Use 51727 for complex cystometry with a urethral pressure profile when voiding pressure studies are not part of the service. Report 51729 when both the voiding pressure studies and urethral pressure profile are performed.
Can 51729 be split between professional and technical claims?
Yes. Modifier 26 identifies the professional interpretation, and modifier TC identifies the technical service, including equipment and staff. Without either modifier, the claim represents the global service.
What documentation supports 51729?
Document the complex cystometric testing, the voiding pressure measurements, and the urethral pressure profile, along with the recorded findings and interpretation. The record should support that all components represented by this code were performed.
Can 51797 be reported with 51729?
51797 is an add-on for intra-abdominal pressure studies and may be reported with 51729 when those studies are performed and documented.
How are other same-session procedures paid?
When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, Medicare pays the highest-valued procedure in full and the others at 50%. The 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care.
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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