Billing code 49550: Femoral hernia repairMedicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Open repair of an initial, reducible femoral hernia, selected when the operative findings identify a femoral defect rather than an inguinal hernia.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 49550 in Texas.
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 49550 covers
This code describes open surgery to repair a femoral hernia that can be reduced and has not been repaired previously. The defect is in the groin at the femoral canal, below the inguinal ligament. A surgeon returns the hernia contents and repairs the defect. General surgeons commonly perform this operation in a hospital or ambulatory surgery setting.
Choose the code from the documented anatomic site, whether the hernia is initial or recurrent, and whether it is reducible. The operative report should support the femoral location, reducibility, laterality, and repair performed. The service has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeons require 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 49550 pays more and less in Texas
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
8 of 8 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Austin | Unavailable | $561.24 |
| Beaumont | Unavailable | $536.02 |
| Brazoria | Unavailable | $542.21 |
| Dallas | Unavailable | $549.44 |
| Fort Worth | Unavailable | $548.55 |
| Galveston | Unavailable | $546.27 |
| Houston | Unavailable | $588.37 |
| Rest Of Texas | Unavailable | $541.39 |
How the 49550 rate is calculated
Each of 49550’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 · 49550
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 8.77Practice expense 5.65Malpractice 2.30
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 49550
49550 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 49550
Femoral hernia repair
| 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) | 1 | Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount. |
| 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 · 49550
Femoral hernia repair
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 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
49550 without 50 · national facility
$558.46
Femoral hernia repair
49550-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$837.69
Both sides on one line with modifier 50 are paid at 150% of the fee schedule amount (subject to multiple-procedure rules with other procedures).
49550 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
49550 vs 49553 vs 49555 vs 49500 vs 49557: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 49553Femoral hernia repair
- Both describe initial femoral hernia repair. Choose 49553 when the hernia is documented as incarcerated or strangulated rather than reducible.
- 49555Femoral hernia repair
- This code is for an initial reducible femoral hernia; 49555 is for a recurrent reducible femoral hernia.
- 49500Inguinal hernia repair
- 49500 describes an initial reducible inguinal hernia. Use this code when the operative documentation locates the defect in the femoral canal.
- 49557Femoral hernia repair
- 49557 is for a recurrent femoral hernia documented as incarcerated or strangulated; this code is for an initial reducible femoral hernia.
49550 billing questions
How does this differ from an inguinal hernia repair?
Select this code when the operative documentation identifies a femoral defect at the femoral canal. An inguinal hernia has a different anatomic site, even though both present in the groin.
When is the incarcerated femoral hernia code used instead?
Use 49553 for an initial femoral hernia documented as incarcerated or strangulated. This code is for an initial hernia that is reducible.
Can modifier 50 be reported for bilateral repair?
Yes. CMS pays this bilateral procedure reported with modifier 50 at 150%.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
How are multiple procedures in the same session paid?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures subject to the standard multiple procedure reduction are paid at 50%.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
An assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeons are paid only with 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
Fee sheets
Put 49550 and the rest of your codes on one sheet
Build a fee sheet from your own code list at your locality, put your payer contracts beside Medicare, and see what changed each quarter.
Build my fee sheetOr price your code list free →