CPT code 44126: Atresia resection2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Virginia
Reports operative resection of small bowel for congenital atresia when the surgeon restores continuity without tapering the bowel.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 44126 in Virginia.
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 44126 covers
This service covers surgical removal of an atretic segment of small intestine in a patient with congenital intestinal atresia, followed by reconstruction to restore bowel continuity. It is typically performed by a pediatric or general surgeon in an operating room, often for an infant or child whose atresia obstructs intestinal passage. The distinguishing feature is that the surgeon does not taper the bowel as part of the repair.
Report this code when the operative note supports congenital atresia, the small-bowel resection and reconstruction, and the absence of tapering. Document additional resection and anastomosis work separately when supported by the applicable add-on code. 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% reduction. 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.
Where 44126 pays more and less in Virginia
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Dc + Md/Va Suburbs | Unavailable | $2,497.57 |
| Virginia | Unavailable | $2,167.58 |
How the 44126 rate is calculated
Each of 44126’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 · 44126
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work41.17
41.17 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense16.20
16.20 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice11.05
11.05 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
68.4200
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$2,285.29
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 44126
44126 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 44126
Atresia resection
| 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 · 44126
Atresia resection
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
44126 without 51 · national facility
$2,285.29
Atresia resection
44126-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$1,142.65
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%).
44126 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 44120Small-bowel resection
- Choose 44126 for congenital atresia when the repair does not include bowel tapering. 44120 describes a small-bowel resection and anastomosis without that atresia-specific distinction.
- 44125Small-bowel resection
- 44125 describes small-bowel resection with an enterostomy. 44126 is the atresia repair without tapering that restores bowel continuity.
- 44127Atresia resection
- The distinction is whether the surgeon tapers the bowel during the congenital-atresia repair: without tapering is 44126; with tapering is 44127.
- 44128Small bowel resection
- 44128 is an add-on for additional congenital-atresia resection and anastomosis work, not the primary repair represented by 44126.
44126 billing questions
How is 44126 distinguished from 44127?
44126 describes congenital-atresia resection without tapering. Use 44127 when the surgeon tapers the bowel as part of the repair.
Can 44126 be reported with 44128?
44128 represents each additional resection and anastomosis for congenital atresia. Report it with the primary procedure when the operative documentation supports additional work.
Does 44126 include reconstruction of the bowel?
The service includes reconstruction to restore bowel continuity after the atretic segment is removed. The operative report should describe the resection and the reconstruction performed.
How does 44126 differ from 44120?
44126 is specific to resection for congenital atresia without tapering. 44120 describes a small-bowel resection and anastomosis outside that atresia-specific service.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care for 90 days.
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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