Billing code 50329: Graft reconstructionMedicare rate & RVUs in Nevada
Reports reconstruction of a donor kidney graft’s ureter on the backbench before transplantation when the ureter requires operative repair.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 50329 in Nevada.
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 50329 covers
A transplant surgeon performs this work on the donor kidney outside the recipient’s body, before the graft is implanted. The service addresses reconstruction of the graft’s ureter; it is distinct from preparing the kidney’s surrounding tissues or reconstructing its artery or vein. It is generally part of the operative work surrounding a kidney transplant, rather than a procedure performed on the recipient’s native ureter.
Report 50329 when the operative record supports actual reconstruction of the donor graft’s ureter, not merely routine graft preparation. Documentation should identify the ureteral work performed and distinguish it from any preparation or reconstruction of other graft structures. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, CMS pays the highest-valued procedure in full and applies a 50% reduction to the others.
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.
50329 in Nevada**
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Nevada** | Unavailable | $158.06 |
How the 50329 rate is calculated
Each of 50329’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 · 50329
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work3.26
3.26 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense0.78
0.78 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.83
0.83 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
4.8700
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$162.66
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 50329
The CMS indicators that decide how 50329 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 50329
Graft reconstruction
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | XXX | The global surgery concept doesn’t apply. |
| 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. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
50329 without 51 · national facility
$162.66
Graft reconstruction
50329-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$81.33
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%).
50329 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 50323Prep cadaver renal allograft
- 50323 describes standard backbench preparation of a cadaveric donor kidney. Use 50329 for documented reconstruction of the graft’s ureter.
- 50325Prep donor renal graft
- 50325 describes standard backbench preparation of a donor renal graft. 50329 identifies ureteral reconstruction rather than routine graft preparation.
- 50327Graft preparation
- 50327 is for backbench reconstruction of the renal artery. 50329 is for reconstruction of the ureter.
- 50328Kidney graft prep
- 50328 is for backbench reconstruction of the renal vein. 50329 is for reconstruction of the ureter.
50329 billing questions
How does 50329 differ from standard backbench graft preparation?
50329 identifies reconstruction of the donor graft’s ureter. Codes 50323 and 50325 describe standard backbench preparation for cadaveric and donor renal grafts, respectively; the record should support the distinct work reported.
Is this the code for reconstruction of a graft artery or vein?
No. 50329 is for ureteral reconstruction; 50327 addresses renal artery reconstruction and 50328 renal vein reconstruction.
What documentation supports reporting 50329?
The operative report should describe the ureteral reconstruction performed on the donor kidney graft before implantation. A note documenting only routine graft preparation does not establish ureteral reconstruction.
How does the multiple-procedure payment rule affect 50329?
When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, CMS pays the highest-valued procedure in full and reduces the other procedures by 50%.
Can 50329 be reported with a kidney transplant procedure?
Ureteral reconstruction is backbench work associated with preparing a graft for transplantation, while 50360 and 50365 describe recipient kidney transplant procedures. The operative documentation should support each reported service.
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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