Billing code 55041: HydrocelectomyMedicare rate & RVUs in Massachusetts
Bilateral hydrocele excision treats symptomatic fluid collections around both testicles through surgery, typically performed by a urologist in an operating-room setting.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 55041 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 55041 covers
This code represents surgery to remove or address hydrocele sacs on both sides of the scrotum. A hydrocele is a fluid collection surrounding a testicle; bilateral surgery may be chosen when both collections cause symptoms or otherwise warrant operative treatment. Urologists commonly perform the procedure in a hospital or ambulatory surgery center.
Report 55041 when the operation treats both sides, rather than reporting the unilateral code twice. The operative note should support treatment of a hydrocele on each side and describe the procedures performed. CMS assigns this code a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during that period. When multiple procedures occur in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. The code is priced as bilateral, so modifier 50 does not increase payment. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery; 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 55041 pays more and less in Massachusetts
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Boston | Unavailable | $508.58 |
| Rest Of Massachusetts | Unavailable | $476.21 |
How the 55041 rate is calculated
Each of 55041’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 · 55041
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work8.33
8.33 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense4.67
4.67 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.10
1.10 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
14.1000
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$470.95
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 55041
55041 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 55041
Hydrocelectomy
| 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) | 2 | Already bilateral by definition: paid once at 100%. |
| 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. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.10/0.80/0.10 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 55041
Hydrocelectomy
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
55041 without 51 · national facility
$470.95
Hydrocelectomy
55041-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$235.48
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%).
55041 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 55040Hydrocelectomy
- Use 55040 for unilateral hydrocele excision; use 55041 when the procedure is performed on both sides.
- 55000Hydrocele drainage
- 55000 describes drainage of a hydrocele, while 55041 represents operative treatment of hydroceles on both sides.
- 55060Hydrocele repair
- 55060 describes hydrocele repair. Choose 55041 when the documented procedure is bilateral hydrocele excision.
55041 billing questions
When should 55041 be used instead of 55040?
Use 55041 when hydrocele surgery is performed on both sides. Code 55040 is for unilateral excision.
Should modifier 50 be appended to 55041?
The code is already priced as bilateral. Modifier 50 does not increase payment.
Can 55041 be reported with hydrocele drainage?
Drainage is a different service from operative treatment of hydroceles. If both services are performed, documentation must support each, and same-session multiple-procedure payment rules may apply.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during the 90 days after surgery.
Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be billed?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code. 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 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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