Billing code 47381: Liver tumor ablationMedicare rate & RVUs in Oregon
Reports open surgical destruction of a liver tumor using cryosurgery, typically when the surgeon exposes the liver and treats the lesion directly.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 47381 in Oregon.
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 47381 covers
The surgeon exposes the liver through an open operation and uses a cryoprobe to freeze and destroy a tumor. This may be used for a primary liver tumor or a metastatic lesion. Hepatobiliary, transplant, or general surgeons typically perform the procedure in an operating room, with the approach and treatment documented in the operative report.
Report this code when the tumor is ablated by cryosurgery through an open approach; laparoscopic and percutaneous access use different codes. Documentation should identify the open approach, cryosurgical method, treated tumor, and operative work. The service has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When other procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Bilateral adjustment is inappropriate. An assistant at surgery 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.
Where 47381 pays more and less in Oregon
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Portland | Unavailable | $1,379.88 |
| Rest Of Oregon | Unavailable | $1,317.09 |
How the 47381 rate is calculated
Each of 47381’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 · 47381
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work24.26
24.26 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense10.66
10.66 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice6.48
6.48 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
41.4000
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$1,382.80
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 47381
47381 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 47381
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 · 47381
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
47381 without 51 · national facility
$1,382.80
Liver tumor ablation
47381-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$691.40
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%).
47381 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 47380Liver ablation
- Both are open liver tumor ablation procedures. Choose 47381 for cryosurgical treatment and 47380 for radiofrequency ablation.
- 47371Liver ablation
- Both use cryosurgery for a liver tumor, but 47371 describes a laparoscopic approach; 47381 describes an open approach.
- 47383Liver ablation
- Both use cryosurgery, but 47383 is for percutaneous access. Report 47381 when the surgeon uses an open approach.
- 47382Liver ablation
- 47382 describes percutaneous radiofrequency ablation. For open cryosurgical ablation, use 47381.
47381 billing questions
How does this code differ from laparoscopic liver cryoablation?
Use 47381 when the surgeon treats the liver tumor through an open approach. Laparoscopic cryoablation is reported with 47371.
How does this code differ from open radiofrequency ablation?
Both describe open treatment of a liver tumor, but 47381 identifies cryosurgery and 47380 identifies radiofrequency ablation. The operative report should support the energy modality used.
What documentation supports reporting 47381?
Document the open surgical approach, use of a cryoprobe or cryosurgical technique, the treated liver tumor, and the work performed to ablate it.
How does the 90-day global period affect postoperative billing?
The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included in the global period. The CMS multiple-procedure reduction applies when other procedures are performed in the same session.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
CMS permits payment for an assistant at surgery. Co-surgeons are paid only with supporting documentation; team surgery is not permitted.
Should modifier 50 be used for tumors in both lobes?
No. The CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply to this code, and modifier 50 is inappropriate.
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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