$125.55–$146.60
Use 51600 for contrast injection into the bladder for cystography or a voiding study; 51610 is for retrograde urethrocystography.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
51600 Bladder injection Medicare reimbursement rates in Virginia
Reports contrast instillation into the bladder for cystography or voiding urethrocystography, separate from the radiographic imaging service when separately coded. Compare 51600 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Virginia.
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 51600 in Virginia?
Virginia has 2 payment localities in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the 2 payment areas shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
$203.55–$240.58
2 of 2 localities have a supported rate.
Facility setting
$36.43–$40.31
2 of 2 localities have a supported rate.
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.
Diagnostic radiology
About 51600: Bladder contrast injection for cystography
Reports contrast instillation into the bladder for cystography or voiding urethrocystography, separate from the radiographic imaging service when separately coded.
CPT 51600 represents placing contrast into the bladder for a cystographic examination or a study that images the bladder during voiding. The contrast is typically introduced through a urinary catheter. Radiologists and urologists commonly perform the injection in hospital imaging departments and outpatient radiology settings. The code identifies the contrast-injection service, not the resulting images or their interpretation.
Report 51600 when the clinician performs the bladder contrast injection; documentation should identify the study and confirm that contrast was instilled into the bladder. Report the applicable imaging service separately when performed and supported. The code has a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When multiple procedures occur in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Medicare does not pay for an assistant at surgery, and co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 51600
- Global period
- Minor procedure with a 0-day global period: same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included.
- Multiple procedures
- Standard multiple procedure reduction: the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50% when performed in the same session.
- Bilateral procedures
- Bilateral adjustment does not apply; the descriptor or anatomy makes modifier 50 inappropriate.
- Assistant at surgery
- Statutory restriction: assistant at surgery is not paid.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons not permitted.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU0.86 · 14%
- Practice expense (office) RVU5.26 · 85%
- Malpractice RVU0.09 · 1%
18.4K
Medicare services in 2024 · #1180 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.
51600 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Virginia, from the same CMS release.
No office rate
51605 describes bladder preparation for an X-ray examination. Choose 51600 when the documented service is contrast injection for cystography or a voiding study.
$40.94–$47.83
74430 represents cystographic imaging and interpretation, while 51600 represents the bladder contrast injection.
$103.66–$122.94
74455 represents imaging and interpretation for a voiding urethrocystographic study; 51600 represents the contrast injection.
Compare 51600 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.
2 of 2 payment localities
Dc + Md/Va Suburbs →
Office / nonfacility
$240.58
Facility
$40.31
Virginia →
Office / nonfacility
$203.55
Facility
$36.43
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51600 billing questions
How is 51600 different from 51610?
51600 is for contrast injection into the bladder for cystography or a voiding study. 51610 is for injection used in retrograde urethrocystography.
Can the imaging service be reported separately?
Yes. The injection and the radiographic imaging or interpretation are distinct services; report the applicable imaging code when that service is performed and documented.
Should modifier 50 be used for a bilateral study?
No. Bilateral adjustment does not apply to 51600, and modifier 50 is inappropriate.
What documentation supports 51600?
Document the cystographic or voiding study and that contrast was instilled into the bladder. The record should distinguish the injection from the imaging service.
How does the multiple-procedure reduction affect 51600?
For procedures performed in the same session, Medicare pays the highest-valued procedure in full and applies the standard 50% reduction to the others.
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.
6,03951595,,Remove bladder/revise tract,A,,40.29,12.35,NA,12.35,,5.29,57.93,57.93,0,090,0.08,0.83,0.09,2,2,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
6,04051596,,Remove bladder/create pouch,A,,43.15,13.68,NA,13.68,,5.69,62.52,62.52,0,090,0.08,0.83,0.09,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
6,04151597,,Removal of pelvic structures,A,,41.79,13.56,NA,13.56,,5.73,61.08,61.08,0,090,0.08,0.83,0.09,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
6,04251600,,Injection for bladder x-ray,A,,0.86,5.26,,0.17,,0.09,6.21,1.12,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,2,0,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
6,04351605,,Preparation for bladder xray,A,,0.62,0.36,NA,0.36,,0.07,1.05,1.05,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,2,0,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
6,04451610,,Injection for bladder x-ray,A,,1.02,2.70,,0.59,,0.12,3.84,1.73,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,2,0,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
6,04551700,,Irrigation of bladder,A,,0.59,1.68,,0.12,,0.07,2.34,0.78,0,000,0.00,0.00,0.00,2,0,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00