CPT code 52332: Ureteral stent2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Illinois
Reports cystoscopic placement of an indwelling ureteral stent to maintain drainage between the kidney and bladder, often during treatment of ureteral stones or obstruction.
Medicare pays $356.13–$390.31 for 52332 in the office in Illinois, from Rest Of Illinois to 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 52332 covers
A urologist places an indwelling stent through the urethra and bladder, advancing it into the ureter so urine can drain from the kidney to the bladder. The stent may be used when a ureter is obstructed or swollen, or after endoscopic treatment of a ureteral or renal stone. The service is commonly performed in a hospital outpatient department or ambulatory surgery center; office use is less frequent.
Report 52332 when the documented service includes placement of the indwelling stent, not merely cystoscopic inspection or stent removal. The operative note should identify the side, reason for placement, and placement details. When a related endoscopy is performed in the same session, CMS endoscopy-family pricing applies. For bilateral placement, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. The code has a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service; 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 52332 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
$356.13 to $390.31
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $390.31 | $156.01 |
| East St. Louis | $363.44 | $148.95 |
| Rest Of Illinois | $356.13 | $143.28 |
| Suburban Chicago | $389.94 | $150.51 |
How the 52332 rate is calculated
Each of 52332’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 · 52332
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work2.75
2.75 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense8.05
8.05 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.36
0.36 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
11.1600
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$372.75
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 52332
The CMS indicators that decide how 52332 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 52332
Ureteral stent
| 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) | 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. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
52332 without 50 · national office
$372.75
Ureteral stent
52332-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$559.13
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).
52332 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 52352Ureteroscopy
- Use 52352 for ureteroscopic stone removal without lithotripsy. Add 52332 only when a distinct indwelling stent is placed during the session.
- 52353Stone lithotripsy
- 52353 reports ureteroscopic or renal stone lithotripsy. A distinct stent placement may be reported separately, while 52356 represents lithotripsy with stent placement included.
- 52310Cystoscopic removal
- 52310 describes cystoscopic removal of a stent or other foreign body; 52332 is for placing an indwelling ureteral stent.
52332 billing questions
When is 52332 reported with ureteroscopic stone treatment?
Report it when an indwelling stent is placed as a distinct part of the session, such as with ureteroscopic stone extraction or lithotripsy. Code 52356 includes stent placement with ureteroscopic lithotripsy, so do not separately report 52332 for that included stent.
Does 52332 describe stent removal?
No. It describes stent placement. Cystoscopic removal of a ureteral stent is represented by a removal code, such as 52310 or 52315, depending on the service performed.
What documentation supports 52332?
Document the indication for drainage or support, the side treated, and that an indwelling ureteral stent was placed. If another endoscopic procedure was performed in the same session, the note should make the stent placement and the other work clear.
How is bilateral stent placement reported?
For bilateral placement, use modifier 50; CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported for 52332?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this procedure. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted under the CMS rules supplied for this code.
What same-day care is included in the global period?
The 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care. Related endoscopies performed together are subject to endoscopy-family pricing.
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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