Billing code 49010: Retroperitoneal explorationMedicare rate & RVUs in Utah
Report retroperitoneal exploration when a surgeon operatively evaluates the space behind the peritoneum, with biopsy included when performed.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 49010 in Utah.
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 49010 covers
This service involves surgically exposing and examining the retroperitoneal space, which lies behind the abdominal lining. A surgeon may use it to investigate suspected injury or bleeding, or to assess an abnormal mass or other finding in that space. Biopsy specimens taken during the exploration are part of the service. General, trauma, vascular, or urologic surgeons may perform it in an operating room, commonly in a hospital facility.
Report 49010 when the retroperitoneal survey is the operative service, rather than an incidental step in a more extensive procedure; the separate-procedure designation signals that distinction. The operative report should identify the retroperitoneal indication, the area examined, and any biopsy performed. The code has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in one session, the highest-valued is paid in full and others at 50%. Modifier 50 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.
49010 in Utah
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Utah | Unavailable | $838.49 |
How the 49010 rate is calculated
Each of 49010’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 · 49010
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 15.66Practice expense 6.34Malpractice 3.88
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 49010
49010 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 49010
Retroperitoneal exploration
| 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 · 49010
Retroperitoneal exploration
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
49010 without 51 · national facility
$864.42
Retroperitoneal exploration
49010-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$432.21
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%).
49010 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
49010 vs 49000 vs 49002 vs 49060: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 49000Abdominal exploration
- 49000 applies to exploration of the abdominal cavity. Choose 49010 when the surgeon explores the retroperitoneal space behind the peritoneum.
- 49002Abdominal reoperation
- 49002 describes reopening a prior abdominal incision. It is not the code for retroperitoneal exploration itself.
- 49060Abscess drainage
- 49060 is for open drainage of a retroperitoneal abscess. 49010 represents exploration, with biopsy included when performed, rather than abscess drainage.
49010 billing questions
When should 49010 be used instead of 49000?
Use 49010 for exploration of the retroperitoneal space behind the peritoneum. Code 49000 describes exploration of the abdominal cavity, a different anatomic compartment.
Is a biopsy separately reported with 49010?
Biopsy performed as part of the retroperitoneal exploration is included in 49010. Document the site and findings, along with the biopsy, in the operative report.
Can 49010 be reported with another operation in the same session?
The separate-procedure designation means it is not separately reported when the exploration is integral to a more extensive procedure. If separately reportable procedures are performed in one session, CMS applies the standard multiple procedure reduction.
Should modifier 50 be used for right- and left-sided retroperitoneal work?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code; do not use modifier 50.
What postoperative care is included?
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 reported?
An assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeon payment requires 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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