Billing code 47370: Liver tumor ablationMedicare rate & RVUs in Ohio
Reports laparoscopic destruction of one or more liver tumors using radiofrequency energy, when the surgeon treats the lesions through a minimally invasive operative approach.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 47370 in Ohio.
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 47370 covers
The surgeon places laparoscopic instruments through small abdominal incisions and uses a radiofrequency probe to destroy one or more liver tumors. This approach may be used for primary liver tumors or metastases when the treatment plan calls for laparoscopic access rather than an open operation or a percutaneous procedure. The service is generally performed by a surgeon in a hospital operating room.
Report this code for the laparoscopic radiofrequency technique, not for open or percutaneous ablation or laparoscopic cryosurgery. The code covers treatment of one or more tumors; document the lesions treated, the laparoscopic approach, and the energy modality. It 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 are subject to the standard 50% reduction. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this procedure.
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.
47370 in Ohio
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio | Unavailable | $1,145.68 |
How the 47370 rate is calculated
Each of 47370’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 · 47370
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 20.28Practice expense 9.66Malpractice 5.16
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 47370
47370 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 47370
Liver tumor ablation
| 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) | 0.09/0.81/0.10 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 47370
Liver tumor ablation
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
47370 without 51 · national facility
$1,172.37
Liver tumor ablation
47370-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$586.19
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%).
47370 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
47370 vs 47371 vs 47380 vs 47382 vs 47300: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 47371Liver ablation
- Both describe laparoscopic liver tumor ablation. Use 47370 for radiofrequency energy and 47371 for cryosurgery.
- 47380Liver ablation
- Both use radiofrequency energy for liver tumor ablation. Use 47370 for laparoscopic access and 47380 for an open operation.
- 47382Liver ablation
- Both describe radiofrequency liver tumor ablation. Use 47370 for laparoscopic access and 47382 when the probe is placed percutaneously.
- 47300Liver drainage
- 47300 describes surgery for a liver lesion, whereas 47370 specifically identifies laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation of one or more liver tumors.
47370 billing questions
How is this code distinguished from laparoscopic cryoablation?
This code is for radiofrequency energy. Use the laparoscopic cryosurgery code, 47371, when the surgeon uses cryoablation instead.
Is the code reported separately for each tumor?
No. It covers ablation of one or more liver tumors; document the treated lesions, but do not report separate units for each tumor.
When should an open or percutaneous ablation code be used instead?
Choose the code that matches the access route and modality: 47380 describes open radiofrequency ablation, while 47382 describes percutaneous radiofrequency ablation.
What documentation supports reporting this code?
Document the laparoscopic approach, radiofrequency technique, and the liver tumor or tumors treated. The record should distinguish this service from open, percutaneous, or cryosurgical ablation.
How does the global period affect postoperative billing?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be paid?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available. Co-surgeon payment requires 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 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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