CPT 32480 Lobectomy Reimbursement & Policy | OpenPayer

Summary & Overview

CPT 32480: Single-Lobe Lobectomy

CPT code 32480 represents a surgical lobectomy limited to the removal of a single pulmonary lobe. As a core thoracic surgery code, it captures definitive operative management for focal lung disease and is a key item in surgical, oncologic, and inpatient care workflows. Nationally, accurate coding for 32480 affects hospital case mix, surgical quality measures, and payer reimbursement for complex inpatient procedures.

This analysis covers major national payers: Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of clinical context and typical sites of service, along with benchmarking and policy-relevant considerations where available. The content summarizes coding scope, common use cases in thoracic surgery, and the implications for hospital billing and case classification.

The publication provides practical reference material: a description of the procedure captured by 32480, expected care setting, and the kinds of benchmarks and policy updates that organizations commonly review when monitoring utilization of major surgical codes. Data not provided in the input — such as payer-specific rate schedules, associated ICD-10 diagnoses, and related procedure codes — are noted as unavailable.

AetnaBlue Cross Blue ShieldCigna HealthUnitedHealthcareMedicare32480CPTlobectomythoracic surgeryinpatient surgerypulmonary resectionsurgical procedurehospital billing

Billing Code Overview

CPT code 32480 describes the surgical removal of a single lobe of the lung (lobectomy of one lobe). This is a surgical thoracic procedure performed to treat localized lung pathology such as tumors, infectious processes, or other focal disease requiring resection.

Service type: Surgical lobectomy
Typical site of service: Hospital operating room or inpatient surgical setting

Data not available in the input.

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A 65-year-old patient with a history of chronic smoking presents with persistent hemoptysis, weight loss, and an enlarging right upper-lobe pulmonary mass on CT chest. Biopsy confirms non–small cell lung carcinoma confined to a single lobe without distant metastasis. Preoperative evaluation includes pulmonary function testing (FEV1, DLCO), cardiology clearance, and anesthesiology assessment. The thoracic surgical team performs a lobectomy via thoracotomy or video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) to remove the single affected lobe. Intraoperative steps include general endotracheal anesthesia with single-lung ventilation, vascular and bronchial control of the lobar structures, lymph node sampling or dissection, hemostasis, chest tube placement, and postoperative transfer to a monitored recovery or surgical floor. Postoperative management includes pain control, respiratory therapy, incentive spirometry, chest tube management, and pathology review to guide adjuvant therapy decisions.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`22`	Increased procedural services	Use when work, time, or complexity of the lobectomy substantially exceeds the usual.
`26`	Professional component

CPT 32440: Thoracotomy for Removal of Lung

CPT-32491-EMPHYSEMA-LUNG-TISSUE-RESECTION-STERNAL-TRANSTHORACIC

CPT 32491: Resection of Emphysematous Lung Tissue via Sternal or Transthoracic Approach

CPT-32505-OPEN-WEDGE-RESECTION-LUNG-THORACOTOMY

CPT 32505: Open Wedge Resection of Lung (Initial Resection)

CPT-32540-EMPYEMA-EXCISION-PLEURAL-LINING

CPT 32540: Excision of Empyema with Pleural Lining

CPT-32501-BRONCHIAL-REPAIR-POST-LOBECTOMY-SEGMENTECTOMY

CPT 32501: Bronchial Repair After Lobectomy or Segmentectomy

CPT-32486-LUNG-RESECTION-WITH-BRONCHIAL-REPAIR

CPT 32486: Lung Resection with Bronchial Repair

CPT-32507-THORACIC-WEDGE-RESECTION-WITH-LUNG-RESECTION-ADD-ON

CPT 32507: Thoracic Wedge Resection With Lung Resection, Add-On

CPT-32484-SEGMENTAL-LUNG-RESECTION

CPT 32484: Segmental Lung Resection

CPT-32504-APICAL-LUNG-TUMOR-RESECTION-CHEST-WALL-RECONSTRUCTION

CPT 32504: Apical Lung Tumor Resection with Chest Wall Reconstruction

CPT-32503-APICAL-LUNG-TUMOR-RESECTION-NO-CHEST-WALL-RECONSTRUCTION

CPT 32503: Apical Lung Tumor Resection Without Chest Wall Reconstruction

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Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
2086S	Thoracic Surgery	Primary specialty performing pulmonary lobectomy.
2080S	Cardiothoracic Surgery	Surgeons trained in thoracic and cardiac procedures performing lobectomies.
2084P0200X	General Surgery	General surgeons with thoracic experience in some settings.
207RH0000X	Anesthesiology	Provides general anesthesia and single-lung ventilation management.
207K00000X	Pulmonary Disease	Pulmonologists manage preoperative evaluation and postoperative care.

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
Data not available in the input.	Data not available in the input.	Data not available in the input.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`31625`	Bronchoscopy, rigid or flexible, with bronchial or transbronchial biopsy	Performed preoperatively for tissue diagnosis or intraoperatively for localization.
`32405`	Thoracotomy, with diagnostic wedge resection of lung	May be performed when a limited diagnostic resection is done instead of lobectomy.
`32663`	Thoracoscopy, surgical; with lobectomy, total lung, single lobe (VATS lobectomy)	Alternative approach code set for VATS lobectomy procedures (used when VATS technique specified).
`32551`	Tube thoracostomy, includes water seal (e.g., chest tube)	Commonly placed during or after lobectomy for postoperative drainage.
`38900`	Insertion of central venous access device (e.g., pulmonary artery catheter)	May be used perioperatively for invasive monitoring or central access.

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