Use 49324 for laparoscopic insertion of a new tunneled catheter; 49325 describes laparoscopic revision of a previously placed catheter.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
49324 Dialysis catheter placement Medicare reimbursement rates in Utah
Laparoscopic placement of a tunneled intraperitoneal catheter, typically for peritoneal dialysis access, with the catheter positioned under abdominal visualization. Compare 49324 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Utah.
Amounts below use the non-QP conversion factor for participating physicians. These are base physician payments before claim-level adjustments, not patient costs or total hospital charges.
What does Medicare pay for 49324 in Utah?
Utah has 1 payment locality in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the payment area shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
No supported rate
Facility setting
$354.20
1 of 1 localities have a supported rate.
Payment area: Utah
One mapped payment locality.
These are locality ranges, not averages or address-specific quotes. A facility-setting amount covers the physician service; it does not include a hospital’s separate bill. Choose a locality below to inspect its calculation, compare other payment areas, or price a percentage of Medicare.
Laparoscopic surgery
About 49324: Laparoscopic tunneled peritoneal catheter placement
Laparoscopic placement of a tunneled intraperitoneal catheter, typically for peritoneal dialysis access, with the catheter positioned under abdominal visualization.
This service places a tunneled catheter into the peritoneal cavity using laparoscopic access, allowing the surgeon to visualize abdominal structures and position the catheter. It is most often performed by a general or minimally invasive surgeon for a patient who needs peritoneal dialysis access. The operative work includes creating the tunnel and inserting the catheter, rather than inspecting the abdomen alone.
Report 49324 when the operative note supports laparoscopic insertion of a new tunneled intraperitoneal catheter. Documentation should identify the indication, laparoscopic approach, and catheter placement. For revision of a previously placed catheter, consider 49325 instead. CMS assigns a 10-day global period, so related postoperative visits during that period are included. When related endoscopies are performed together, endoscopy-family pricing applies. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be allowed, co-surgeons are permitted, and team surgery is not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 49324
- Global period
- Minor procedure with a 10-day global period: related postoperative visits for 10 days are included.
- Multiple procedures
- Endoscopy family pricing applies when related endoscopies are performed together.
- Bilateral procedures
- Bilateral adjustment does not apply; the descriptor or anatomy makes modifier 50 inappropriate.
- Assistant at surgery
- Assistant at surgery may be paid.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons permitted.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU6.16 · 56%
- Practice expense (office) RVU3.19 · 29%
- Malpractice RVU1.61 · 15%
9.6K
Medicare services in 2024 · #1490 by national volume
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.
49324 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Utah, from the same CMS release.
49421 is the open approach to tunneled intraperitoneal catheter insertion. Use 49324 when the catheter is inserted laparoscopically.
49418 describes percutaneous catheter insertion, rather than the laparoscopic approach reported with 49324.
49320 is for diagnostic abdominal laparoscopy. It does not describe therapeutic catheter insertion.
Compare 49324 by payment locality
Find the payment area for your service address, then open its rate page for calculation inputs, release history and the percentage-of-Medicare tool. A city may cross payment-area boundaries; the ZIP lookup above helps resolve the location.
1 of 1 payment localities
Utah →
Office / nonfacility
Unavailable
Facility
$354.20
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How this local rate is calculated
Each RVU component is multiplied by its own geographic practice cost index (GPCI). The three adjusted components are added, then multiplied by the conversion factor. These are the inputs used for 49324 in Utah.
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
5,787
- Code
- 49324
- Physician work
- 6.16
- Practice expense
- 3.19
- Malpractice
- 1.61
GPCI2026.csv
104
- Locality
- Utah
- Physician work
- 1.000
- Practice expense
- 0.940
- Malpractice
- 0.898
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 6.16 | × 1.000 | 6.1600 |
| Practice expense | 3.19 | × 0.940 | 2.9986 |
| Malpractice | 1.61 | × 0.898 | 1.4458 |
| Total RVUs | 10.6044 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Facility rate, Utah$354.20
Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula
Facility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 6.16 | 1 |
| Practice expense | 3.19 | 0.94 |
| Malpractice | 1.61 | 0.898 |
(6.16 × 1 + 3.19 × 0.94 + 1.61 × 0.898) × $33.4009 = $354.20
The office and facility calculations use their respective practice-expense RVUs. The facility amount here is the physician fee, not a separate hospital or facility bill.
49324 billing questions
How does 49324 differ from 49325?
49324 describes laparoscopic insertion of a new tunneled intraperitoneal catheter. 49325 is for laparoscopic revision of a catheter that was previously placed.
How does 49324 differ from open catheter placement?
49324 is for laparoscopic insertion. The open approach is represented by 49421, while 49418 describes percutaneous insertion.
Can diagnostic laparoscopy be billed separately with 49324?
The abdominal inspection used to perform the catheter placement is part of the surgical service. A separate diagnostic laparoscopy code should not be used to report that integral work.
Can 49326 be reported with 49324?
49326 is an add-on code for omentopexy and may be reported with 49324 when that additional procedure is performed and documented.
What postoperative care is included?
Related postoperative visits during the 10-day global period are included in 49324.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
CMS permits assistant-at-surgery payment and co-surgeons for this service. 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 indices and the applicable conversion factor. Unavailable or separately priced services are labeled rather than assigned a made-up amount.
Source: RVU26D. Effective 2026-10-01 through the day before 2027-01-01.
