Billing code 53440: Male slingMedicare rate & RVUs in Massachusetts
Places a support sling beneath the male urethra to treat stress urinary incontinence, commonly persistent leakage after prostate surgery.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 53440 in Massachusetts.
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 53440 covers
A urologist places a sling beneath the urethra to support it and improve control of stress-related urine leakage. The procedure is commonly considered for men with persistent incontinence after prostate surgery, including leakage with coughing, lifting, or activity. It is generally performed in an operating room, and the operative report identifies the sling material and placement technique.
Report this code for sling placement, not for later removal or revision of an existing sling. Document the incontinence being treated, relevant history and evaluation, and the procedure performed. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during that period. When other procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 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 53440 pays more and less in Massachusetts
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Boston | Unavailable | $730.02 |
| Rest Of Massachusetts | Unavailable | $687.11 |
How the 53440 rate is calculated
Each of 53440’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 · 53440
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work13.03
13.03 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense5.70
5.70 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.67
1.67 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
20.4000
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$681.38
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 53440
53440 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 53440
Male sling
| 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 · 53440
Male sling
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
53440 without 51 · national facility
$681.38
Male sling
53440-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$340.69
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%).
53440 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 53442Male sling surgery
- Use 53440 for placing a male sling. Code 53442 describes removing or revising an existing male sling.
- 53445Artificial sphincter
- Use 53440 for a urethral support sling; 53445 is for insertion of an artificial urinary sphincter.
- 53451Tprnl balo cntnc dev bi
- Code 53451 describes bilateral transperineal balloon continence-device placement, not sling placement.
- 53452Tprnl balo cntnc dev uni
- Code 53452 describes unilateral transperineal balloon continence-device placement, not sling placement.
53440 billing questions
When is 53440 appropriate instead of 53445?
Use 53440 for placement of a male urethral support sling. Code 53445 describes insertion of an artificial urinary sphincter, a different continence procedure.
Does 53440 cover removal or revision of a prior sling?
No. Code 53442 describes removal or revision of a male sling; 53440 is for sling placement.
What documentation supports reporting 53440?
Document the male stress incontinence being treated, relevant clinical history and evaluation, and the sling placement performed, including the material and operative technique.
How does the 90-day global period affect postoperative billing?
The day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during the 90-day period are included in the global package.
Can modifier 50 be used for 53440?
No. The CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply to this code, and modifier 50 is inappropriate.
How are other procedures in the same session paid?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple procedure reduction. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; co-surgeon payment needs supporting documentation.
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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