Billing code 50280: Renal cyst surgeryMedicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Reports operative treatment of a cyst arising in the kidney when the surgeon removes cyst tissue or opens it to address the renal cyst.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 50280 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 50280 covers
A urologist or other qualified surgeon uses this service to surgically treat a cyst arising within the kidney, by removing cyst tissue or opening the cyst. It is generally performed in a hospital operating room for a renal cyst selected for operative treatment, such as a symptomatic cyst. The procedure is distinct from removing a cyst beside the kidney or taking a tissue sample for diagnosis.
Report the code when the operative record supports treatment of a renal cyst and describes the cyst’s location and the work performed. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during that period. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction. For bilateral surgery reported with modifier 50, CMS pays at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery services 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 50280 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 | $856.61 |
| Beaumont | Unavailable | $825.60 |
| Brazoria | Unavailable | $837.44 |
| Dallas | Unavailable | $844.69 |
| Fort Worth | Unavailable | $843.39 |
| Galveston | Unavailable | $841.32 |
| Houston | Unavailable | $880.49 |
| Rest Of Texas | Unavailable | $832.43 |
How the 50280 rate is calculated
Each of 50280’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 · 50280
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 16.66Practice expense 6.67Malpractice 2.14
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 50280
50280 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 50280
Renal cyst surgery
| 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) | 0.08/0.83/0.09 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 50280
Renal cyst surgery
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
50280 without 50 · national facility
$850.72
Renal cyst surgery
50280-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$1,276.08
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).
50280 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
50280 vs 50541 vs 50290 vs 50200 vs 50240: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 50541Renal cyst ablation
- Use 50541 for laparoscopic ablation of a renal cyst. This code describes surgical excision or opening of the renal cyst.
- 50290Cyst excision
- 50290 treats a cyst beside the kidney. This code is for a cyst arising within the kidney.
- 50200Renal biopsy
- 50200 is a percutaneous renal biopsy for tissue diagnosis, not operative treatment of a renal cyst.
- 50240Kidney surgery
- 50240 removes part of the kidney. Use this code when the operation treats the cyst without performing a partial nephrectomy.
50280 billing questions
How is this different from laparoscopic renal cyst treatment?
This code represents surgical excision or opening of a renal cyst. For laparoscopic ablation of a renal cyst, consider 50541 instead.
When should 50290 be used instead?
50290 is for excision of a perinephric cyst, which is outside the kidney. Use 50280 when the treated cyst arises within the kidney.
Does the 90-day global include related postoperative care?
Yes. CMS includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care in this major-surgery global period.
How is bilateral treatment reported?
For bilateral treatment, report modifier 50; CMS pays the procedure at 150%.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be paid?
Assistant-at-surgery services may be paid. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, while team surgery is not permitted.
What operative details support reporting this code?
Document that the cyst arises within the kidney and describe its location and whether the surgeon removed cyst tissue or opened the cyst. This distinguishes treatment from a renal biopsy or surgery on a perinephric cyst.
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 50280 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 →