Billing code 51520: Bladder diverticulectomyMedicare rate & RVUs in Oklahoma
Report 51520 for open excision of one or more bladder diverticula through cystotomy, rather than for tumor removal or partial cystectomy.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 51520 in Oklahoma.
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 51520 covers
51520 represents an open bladder operation in which the surgeon enters the bladder through a cystotomy and removes one or more bladder diverticula. A diverticulum is an outpouching of the bladder wall; this service is distinct from transurethral removal of an intravesical tumor. Urologists typically perform it in an operating room when operative excision of the diverticulum is planned.
Choose 51520 when the operative work is excision of bladder diverticulum through cystotomy, whether one or multiple diverticula are removed. The operative report should identify the diverticulum or diverticula and describe the cystotomy and excision, distinguishing the service from tumor removal or a broader partial cystectomy. CMS assigns a 90-day major-surgery global period: the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included. When other procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made; 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.
51520 in Oklahoma
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | Unavailable | $516.74 |
How the 51520 rate is calculated
Each of 51520’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 · 51520
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work9.95
9.95 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense5.06
5.06 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.29
1.29 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
16.3000
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$544.43
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 51520
51520 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 51520
Bladder diverticulectomy
| 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 · 51520
Bladder diverticulectomy
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
51520 without 51 · national facility
$544.43
Bladder diverticulectomy
51520-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$272.22
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%).
51520 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 51525Bladder surgery
- 51520 describes excision of a bladder diverticulum. Choose 51525 when the cystotomy is performed to remove a bladder tumor.
- 51530Bladder tumor excision
- 51530 is for bladder tumor excision that includes partial cystectomy. 51520 is for diverticulum excision, not tumor removal with bladder resection.
- 51550Partial cystectomy
- 51550 describes simple partial cystectomy. Use 51520 when the documented operation is excision of one or more diverticula through cystotomy.
- 51555Partial cystectomy
- 51555 describes complicated partial cystectomy. It is not the diverticulectomy service represented by 51520.
51520 billing questions
When should 51520 be used instead of 51525?
Use 51520 for excision of a bladder diverticulum through cystotomy. Use 51525 when the cystotomy is for excision of a bladder tumor.
Is each diverticulum reported as a separate unit?
No. The code covers excision of a single diverticulum or multiple diverticula; the number removed alone does not establish separate units.
Does the 90-day global period include postoperative care?
Yes. The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included in the major-surgery global period.
Can modifier 50 be reported?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this descriptor and anatomy.
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. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeons require supporting documentation, and 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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