Billing code 59870: Molar evacuationMedicare rate & RVUs in Utah
Reports surgical evacuation of a hydatidiform mole from the uterus, a procedure typically performed by an obstetrician-gynecologist.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 59870 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 59870 covers
This code describes surgical evacuation of a hydatidiform mole, an abnormal pregnancy involving trophoblastic tissue. An obstetrician-gynecologist typically performs the procedure in a hospital or other surgical setting, often using suction curettage to empty the uterus. The operative record should identify the molar pregnancy and document the evacuation performed; pathology findings may support the diagnosis.
Choose this code for evacuation of a molar pregnancy, not for uterine evacuation due to miscarriage or an induced abortion. The service has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, CMS pays the highest-valued procedure in full and reduces the others to 50%. Modifier 50 is not appropriate for this single-uterus procedure. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made; co-surgeon and team-surgery payment are 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.
59870 in Utah
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Utah | Unavailable | $463.65 |
How the 59870 rate is calculated
Each of 59870’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 · 59870
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 6.41Practice expense 5.99Malpractice 2.05
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 59870
59870 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 59870
Molar evacuation
| 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) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.17/0.60/0.23 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 59870
Molar evacuation
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
59870 without 51 · national facility
$482.64
Molar evacuation
59870-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$241.32
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%).
59870 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
59870 vs 59812 vs 59820 vs 59840 vs 59841: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 59812Miscarriage treatment
- Use 59870 for evacuation of a hydatidiform mole. Use 59812 for surgical treatment of an incomplete miscarriage.
- 59820Miscarriage care
- 59820 describes surgical management of a missed abortion; 59870 is selected when the pregnancy involves a hydatidiform mole.
- 59840Induced abortion d&c
- 59840 describes induced abortion by dilation and curettage. It is not the code for evacuating molar tissue.
- 59841Induced abortion dilat&evac
- 59841 describes induced abortion by dilation and evacuation, while 59870 identifies evacuation for a molar pregnancy.
59870 billing questions
When should this code be chosen instead of a miscarriage evacuation code?
Use 59870 when the procedure evacuates a diagnosed hydatidiform mole. Codes such as 59812, 59820, or 59821 describe surgical management of pregnancy loss, not molar pregnancy.
Can a separate curettage code be reported for the same evacuation?
Do not report another evacuation code solely because suction or curettage was used as the method for removing the molar tissue.
What documentation supports reporting 59870?
Document the molar-pregnancy diagnosis and the operative details showing that the uterus was surgically evacuated. Pathology may support the diagnosis.
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.
Can an assistant surgeon be reported?
CMS permits assistant-at-surgery payment for this code. Co-surgeon and team-surgery payment are not permitted.
Should modifier 50 be appended?
No. The procedure concerns evacuation of a single uterus, 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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