No office rate
50543 describes laparoscopic partial nephrectomy, typically removing renal tissue such as a tumor. 50544 repairs the renal pelvis-to-ureter junction to improve drainage.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
50544 Pyeloplasty Medicare reimbursement rates in Massachusetts
Reports laparoscopic reconstruction of the renal pelvis and proximal ureter to relieve an obstructed ureteropelvic junction while preserving the kidney. Compare 50544 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Massachusetts.
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 50544 in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts has 2 payment localities in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the 2 payment areas shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
No supported rate
Facility setting
$1108.31–$1170.84
2 of 2 localities have a supported rate.
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.
Urologic surgery
About 50544: Laparoscopic ureteropelvic junction reconstruction
Reports laparoscopic reconstruction of the renal pelvis and proximal ureter to relieve an obstructed ureteropelvic junction while preserving the kidney.
A urologist uses laparoscopic access to repair narrowing where the renal pelvis joins the ureter, a common cause of impaired urine drainage and hydronephrosis. The reconstruction reshapes or reconnects the renal pelvis and proximal ureter to create a more open passage; the narrowed segment may be removed. The operation is generally performed in a hospital operating room for a patient whose kidney can be preserved.
Report 50544 when the operative work is laparoscopic pyeloplasty, rather than kidney removal or tumor excision. The operative report should support the ureteropelvic junction obstruction, laparoscopic approach, and reconstruction performed. This major surgery has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures at 50%. For bilateral surgery, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeons require supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 50544
- Global period
- Major surgery with a 90-day global period: the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included.
- Multiple procedures
- Standard multiple procedure reduction: the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50% when performed in the same session.
- Bilateral procedures
- Bilateral procedure with modifier 50 is paid at 150%.
- Assistant at surgery
- Assistant at surgery may be paid.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons paid only with supporting documentation.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU22.79 · 69%
- Practice expense (office) RVU7.29 · 22%
- Malpractice RVU2.95 · 9%
1.1K
Medicare services in 2024 · #2880 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.
50544 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Massachusetts, from the same CMS release.
No office rate
50546 is laparoscopic nephrectomy; it removes the kidney. Use 50544 when the operation reconstructs the junction and preserves the kidney.
50549
No office rateUnlisted laps px renal
50549 is an unlisted laparoscopic renal procedure code. 50544 specifically describes laparoscopic pyeloplasty, so it is the more specific choice for that reconstruction.
Compare 50544 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.
2 of 2 payment localities
Metropolitan Boston →
Office / nonfacility
Unavailable
Facility
$1170.84
Rest Of Massachusetts →
Office / nonfacility
Unavailable
Facility
$1108.31
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50544 billing questions
How is 50544 different from laparoscopic nephrectomy?
50544 reconstructs the renal pelvis-to-ureter junction to preserve the kidney. Nephrectomy codes describe removing a kidney, not repairing its drainage junction.
What documentation supports 50544?
Document the ureteropelvic junction obstruction, the laparoscopic approach, and the repair or reconstruction performed. The operative note should make clear that the kidney was preserved.
Is routine operative work separately reported?
The reconstruction and its routine operative steps are represented by 50544. Do not assume that an additional service is separately payable solely because it is described in the operative note; evaluate distinct services under applicable coding and claim edits.
How is bilateral pyeloplasty reported?
For bilateral procedures, report modifier 50; CMS pays this code at 150% under the bilateral rule.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
An assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeons are paid only with supporting documentation; team surgery is 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.
5,93150541,,Laparo ablate renal cyst,A,,16.44,5.99,NA,5.99,,2.15,24.58,24.58,0,090,0.08,0.83,0.09,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
5,93250542,,Laparo ablate renal mass,A,,20.83,7.73,NA,7.73,,2.72,31.28,31.28,0,090,0.08,0.83,0.09,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
5,93350543,,Laparo partial nephrectomy,A,,26.72,9.63,NA,9.63,,3.46,39.81,39.81,0,090,0.08,0.83,0.09,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
5,93450544,,Laparoscopy pyeloplasty,A,,22.79,7.29,NA,7.29,,2.95,33.03,33.03,0,090,0.08,0.83,0.09,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
5,93550545,,Laparo radical nephrectomy,A,,24.43,7.91,NA,7.91,,3.18,35.52,35.52,0,090,0.08,0.83,0.09,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
5,93650546,,Laparoscopic nephrectomy,A,,21.32,8.03,NA,8.03,,2.96,32.31,32.31,0,090,0.08,0.83,0.09,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
5,93750547,,Laparo removal donor kidney,A,,25.68,14.12,NA,14.12,,6.31,46.11,46.11,0,090,0.08,0.83,0.09,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00