Billing code 51570: CystectomyMedicare rate & RVUs in Nebraska
Reports complete removal of the urinary bladder when the operation does not include the additional lymph node or urinary diversion work represented by other cystectomy codes.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 51570 in Nebraska.
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 51570 covers
51570 represents removal of the entire urinary bladder, rather than resection of only a portion. Urologists typically perform the operation in an operating room, often for bladder cancer when complete removal is planned. The operative report should establish the extent of bladder removal and whether pelvic lymph node dissection or urinary diversion was performed, because those details may point to a more specific cystectomy code.
Select this code for the complete bladder excision described by the operative record; use a partial cystectomy code when bladder tissue is only partly removed. This major surgery has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during that period. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. An assistant may be paid; 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.
51570 in Nebraska
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | Unavailable | $1,209.92 |
How the 51570 rate is calculated
Each of 51570’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 · 51570
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work26.77
26.77 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense8.83
8.83 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice3.45
3.45 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
39.0500
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$1,304.31
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 51570
51570 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 51570
Cystectomy
| 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 · 51570
Cystectomy
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
51570 without 51 · national facility
$1,304.31
Cystectomy
51570-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$652.16
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%).
51570 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 51550Partial cystectomy
- 51550 describes partial bladder removal; 51570 is for complete removal. Base the choice on the resection documented in the operative report.
- 51575Bladder removal
- 51575 includes bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy with complete bladder removal. Use it when that additional dissection is part of the documented operation.
- 51580Complete cystectomy
- 51580 pairs complete bladder removal with ureterosigmoidostomy or ureterostomy. 51570 describes the complete bladder excision without that specified diversion.
- 51590Bladder removal
- 51590 includes a ureteroileal conduit or sigmoid bladder with complete bladder removal. Choose by the diversion performed, rather than treating the codes as interchangeable.
51570 billing questions
How does 51570 differ from a partial cystectomy code?
51570 represents complete bladder removal. When the surgeon removes only part of the bladder, consider 51550 or another partial cystectomy code that matches the documented procedure.
Can 51570 be used when pelvic lymph nodes are also removed?
Check whether a more specific cystectomy code describes the operation, such as 51575 for complete removal with bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy. The operative report should document the extent of the node dissection.
How should urinary diversion affect code selection?
When the operation includes a urinary diversion, compare the documented diversion with the more specific cystectomy codes, including 51580, 51590, and 51596. Do not select 51570 without considering the full operative service.
Is modifier 50 appropriate for 51570?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
An assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; team surgery is not permitted.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care for 90 days after surgery.
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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