$395.03
Both involve lesion removal through a stoma, but 44394 is selected for snare technique; 44392 describes hot biopsy forceps or bipolar cautery.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
44394 Stomal colonoscopy Medicare reimbursement rates in Iowa
Report this service when a colonoscope is passed through a stoma and a colonic lesion is removed using a snare during the examination. Compare 44394 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Iowa.
Amounts below use the non-QP conversion factor for participating physicians. These are base physician payments before claim-level adjustments, not patient costs or total hospital charges.
What does Medicare pay for 44394 in Iowa?
Iowa has 1 payment locality in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the payment area shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
$444.87
1 of 1 localities have a supported rate.
Payment area: Iowa
One mapped payment locality.
Facility setting
$185.09
1 of 1 localities have a supported rate.
Payment area: Iowa
One mapped payment locality.
These are locality ranges, not averages or address-specific quotes. A facility-setting amount covers the physician service; it does not include a hospital’s separate bill. Choose a locality below to inspect its calculation, compare other payment areas, or price a percentage of Medicare.
Gastrointestinal endoscopy
About 44394: Stomal colonoscopy with snare removal
Report this service when a colonoscope is passed through a stoma and a colonic lesion is removed using a snare during the examination.
A gastroenterologist or colorectal surgeon advances a colonoscope through a colonic stoma to examine the colon and remove a tumor, polyp, or other lesion with a snare. This may occur during an outpatient endoscopy or a hospital-based procedure for a patient with a colostomy. The approach through the stoma and the snare removal distinguish this service from routine inspection, forceps removal, and colonoscopy performed through the anus.
Select the code from the access route and documented removal technique; the report should identify the stoma approach and the lesion treatment performed. This minor procedure has a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When related endoscopies are performed together, CMS endoscopy family pricing applies. Modifier 50 is inappropriate because the descriptor and anatomy do not support bilateral adjustment. CMS does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 44394
- Global period
- Minor procedure with a 0-day global period: same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included.
- Multiple procedures
- Endoscopy family pricing applies when related endoscopies are performed together.
- Bilateral procedures
- Bilateral adjustment does not apply; the descriptor or anatomy makes modifier 50 inappropriate.
- Assistant at surgery
- Statutory restriction: assistant at surgery is not paid.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons not permitted.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU3.93 · 27%
- Practice expense (office) RVU10.04 · 69%
- Malpractice RVU0.51 · 4%
2.5K
Medicare services in 2024 · #2301 by national volume
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.
44394 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Iowa, from the same CMS release.
$420.12
44389 is for biopsy sampling through the stoma. Choose 44394 when the lesion is removed with a snare.
$461.35
The snare removal technique is similar, but 45385 is for colonoscopy through the anus; 44394 is for access through a stoma.
Compare 44394 by payment locality
Find the payment area for your service address, then open its rate page for calculation inputs, release history and the percentage-of-Medicare tool. A city may cross payment-area boundaries; the ZIP lookup above helps resolve the location.
1 of 1 payment localities
Iowa →
Office / nonfacility
$444.87
Facility
$185.09
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How this local rate is calculated
Each RVU component is multiplied by its own geographic practice cost index (GPCI). The three adjusted components are added, then multiplied by the conversion factor. These are the inputs used for 44394 in Iowa.
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
5,415
- Code
- 44394
- Physician work
- 3.93
- Practice expense
- 10.04
- Malpractice
- 0.51
GPCI2026.csv
53
- Locality
- Iowa
- Physician work
- 1.000
- Practice expense
- 0.915
- Malpractice
- 0.397
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 3.93 | × 1.000 | 3.9300 |
| Practice expense | 10.04 | × 0.915 | 9.1866 |
| Malpractice | 0.51 | × 0.397 | 0.2025 |
| Total RVUs | 13.3191 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Office / nonfacility rate, Iowa$444.87
Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula
Office / nonfacility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 3.93 | 1 |
| Practice expense | 10.04 | 0.915 |
| Malpractice | 0.51 | 0.397 |
(3.93 × 1 + 10.04 × 0.915 + 0.51 × 0.397) × $33.4009 = $444.87
Facility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 3.93 | 1 |
| Practice expense | 1.54 | 0.915 |
| Malpractice | 0.51 | 0.397 |
(3.93 × 1 + 1.54 × 0.915 + 0.51 × 0.397) × $33.4009 = $185.09
The office and facility calculations use their respective practice-expense RVUs. The facility amount here is the physician fee, not a separate hospital or facility bill.
44394 billing questions
How does this differ from 44392?
Both describe lesion removal during colonoscopy through a stoma. Use 44394 for snare removal; 44392 is for removal by hot biopsy forceps or bipolar cautery.
When is 44389 more appropriate?
Use 44389 when tissue is sampled by biopsy during colonoscopy through a stoma rather than removed by snare.
Can the diagnostic examination be billed separately?
The code describes snare removal during the examination, not a separate diagnostic-only procedure. When related endoscopies are performed together, CMS endoscopy family pricing applies.
Should modifier 50 be reported?
No. The descriptor and anatomy make bilateral adjustment and modifier 50 inappropriate.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be paid?
CMS does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service. 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 indices and the applicable conversion factor. Unavailable or separately priced services are labeled rather than assigned a made-up amount.
Source: RVU26D. Effective 2026-10-01 through the day before 2027-01-01.
5,41244390,,Colonoscopy for foreign body,A,,3.65,9.39,,1.50,,0.41,13.45,5.56,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,3,0,1,0,0,9,44388,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
5,41344391,,Colonoscopy for bleeding,A,,4.02,16.52,,1.59,,0.47,21.01,6.08,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,3,0,1,0,0,9,44388,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
5,41444392,,Colonoscopy & polypectomy,A,,3.44,8.91,,1.35,,0.59,12.94,5.38,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,3,0,1,0,0,9,44388,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
5,41544394,,Colonoscopy w/snare,A,,3.93,10.04,,1.54,,0.51,14.48,5.98,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,3,0,1,0,0,9,44388,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
5,41644401,,Colonoscopy with ablation,A,,4.23,72.58,,1.68,,0.47,77.28,6.38,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,3,0,1,0,0,9,44388,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
5,41744402,,Colonoscopy w/stent plcmt,A,,4.58,1.78,NA,1.78,,0.50,6.86,6.86,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,3,0,1,0,0,9,44388,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
5,41844403,,Colonoscopy w/resection,A,,5.36,2.01,NA,2.01,,0.59,7.96,7.96,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,3,0,1,0,0,9,44388,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
5006102,IL,15,SUBURBAN CHICAGO,1.007,1.027,1.772
5106102,IL,99,REST OF ILLINOIS,1.000,0.913,1.563
5208102,IN,00,INDIANA,1.000,0.927,0.486
5305102,IA,00,IOWA,1.000,0.915,0.397
5405202,KS,00,KANSAS,1.000,0.904,0.504
5515102,KY,00,KENTUCKY,1.000,0.889,0.915
5607202,LA,01,NEW ORLEANS,1.000,0.941,1.136