Billing code 51880: Cystostomy closureMedicare rate & RVUs in Illinois
Reports surgical closure of an established cystostomy opening when the bladder no longer needs drainage through that route.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 51880 in Illinois.
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 51880 covers
A urologist closes an existing opening between the bladder and the skin after urinary drainage through that route is no longer needed. The opening may have been created for suprapubic bladder drainage or as a vesicostomy. This service addresses closure of the established drainage opening, rather than repair of a new bladder injury. It is generally performed in an operating room or other surgical setting.
Report 51880 when the procedure is directed at closing the cystostomy. The operative note should identify the existing opening, why it is being closed, and the work performed. The service has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and 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.
Where 51880 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.
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | Unavailable | $480.02 |
| East St. Louis | Unavailable | $456.23 |
| Rest Of Illinois | Unavailable | $438.55 |
| Suburban Chicago | Unavailable | $463.63 |
How the 51880 rate is calculated
Each of 51880’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 · 51880
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work7.67
7.67 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense4.08
4.08 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.11
1.11 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
12.8600
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$429.54
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 51880
51880 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 51880
Cystostomy closure
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 090 | Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are 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) | 2 | Paid. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.08/0.83/0.09 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 51880
Cystostomy closure
90-day global period ends
Dec 30, 2026
Covers Sep 30, 2026 through Dec 30, 2026 (92 days, including the day before surgery).
Visit on Oct 31, 2026
Day 30 of the 90-day post-op period: related follow-up care is included in the surgical payment.
Pre-op dayGlobal period
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
51880 without 51 · national facility
$429.54
Cystostomy closure
51880-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$214.77
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%).
51880 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 51860Bladder repair
- Choose 51880 to close an established cystostomy drainage opening. Choose 51860 for repair of a bladder wound when the repair is not closure of that opening.
- 51865Bladder wound repair
- 51865 represents complex repair of a bladder wound; 51880 is for closure of an established cystostomy.
- 51800Bladder outlet reconstruction
- 51800 describes reconstructive surgery involving the bladder and/or urethra. It is not the code for closing an established cystostomy opening.
51880 billing questions
How is 51880 different from a bladder wound repair?
Use 51880 for closure of an established cystostomy drainage opening. Codes 51860 and 51865 address repair of a bladder wound, with the applicable code depending on the wound repair.
Can 51880 be reported with another procedure in the same session?
If multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction. The operative record should support each reported service.
Should modifier 50 be appended for closure of a cystostomy?
No. Bilateral adjustment does not apply to this code; modifier 50 is inappropriate for the procedure.
Can an assistant surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made for 51880. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, while team surgery is not permitted.
What documentation supports reporting 51880?
Document the established cystostomy opening, the reason it no longer needs to remain open, and the closure performed. The record should distinguish stoma closure from repair of a bladder injury.
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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