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    v1.0.30
    OpenPayerBilling CodesEndoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) ProceduresCPT cpt-43261-ercp-with-biopsy-diagnostic-endoscopy-biliary-pancreatic-imaging
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    CPT 43261: Upper Endoscopy with ERCP and Biopsy

    Medicare pays $301 on average nationally for this procedure.

    CPT code 43261 describes a diagnostic upper endoscopy combined with retrograde injection of contrast (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography) to obtain fluoroscopic imaging of the biliary tree, gallbladder, and pancreas while also obtaining one or more tissue biopsies of suspicious lesions; service type: diagnostic endoscopic procedure with contrast-enhanced fluoroscopy and biopsy; typical site of service: hospital outpatient department or ambulatory endoscopy center (endoscopy suite).

    For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Field Stimulation for Functional Abdominal Pain Disorders, Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) Coverage Policy, Radiofrequency Therapy for Fecal Incontinence.

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    Table of contents

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    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A 62-year-old patient presents with progressive jaundice, right upper quadrant abdominal pain, and abnormal liver function tests suggestive of obstructive biliary disease. Noninvasive imaging (abdominal ultrasound and MRCP) demonstrates a suspected biliary stricture at the common bile duct with biliary dilation. The gastroenterology team schedules an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with biopsy to evaluate the biliary tree, obtain direct cholangiographic imaging, sample suspicious lesions, and, if needed, perform therapeutic maneuvers.

    The clinical workflow: the patient undergoes pre-procedure assessment including informed consent, NPO status confirmation, medication reconciliation (anticoagulation management), and anesthesia evaluation. In the endoscopy suite, under monitored anesthesia care or general anesthesia, the endoscopist performs upper endoscopy to reach the ampulla, cannulates the biliary system, injects contrast for fluoroscopic cholangiography, documents ductal anatomy and any filling defects or strictures, and takes targeted endoscopic biopsies of suspicious mucosal or intraductal lesions. Post-procedure, the patient is monitored for sedation recovery and complications (pancreatitis, bleeding, infection, perforation) and given follow-up instructions including pathology result review and potential staging or therapeutic planning.

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure
    43260Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, diagnostic, with or without collection of specimens by brushing or washing, without biopsyRelated diagnostic ERCP procedure without biopsy; may be used if no tissue is sampled.
    43262Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, with endoscopic retrograde sphincterotomy (ERCP with sphincterotomy)Therapeutic complement when sphincterotomy is required to relieve obstruction or allow stone extraction.
    43264Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with removal of calculus from bile ductPerformed when choledocholithiasis is identified and stones are extracted during the same session.
    43267Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, with placement of stent(s) in the biliary or pancreatic duct(s)Performed when ductal stenting is required for drainage of obstruction identified on cholangiography.
    43280Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with endoscopic ultrasound guidance (when combined procedures are performed)May be performed in the same diagnostic episode when endoscopic ultrasound is needed for staging or guided sampling.

    Related Modifiers

    10 rows

    ModifierDescriptionWhen to Use
    26Modifier 26 (Professional Component) identifies and bills only the professional portion of a split service — the physician’s interpretation, report, and medical judgment — when the technical…- Use CPT Modifier -26 when you are billing only the professional component (PC) of a split‑bill eligible service—i.e., you performed the physician interpretation, medical judgment and prepared a…
    52Modifier ‑52 (Reduced Services) indicates that a service or procedure was partially reduced or omitted at the provider’s discretion, allowing reporting of the basic procedure number with a qualifier…- Use modifier -52 when a physician or qualified health professional electively reduces or omits part of a procedure or service (for example, performing fewer required views or omitting a portion of…
    53Modifier 53 (Discontinued Procedure) signals that a surgical or diagnostic service was begun by the physician but terminated because of extenuating circumstances that threatened the patient’s…- Use modifier -53 when a physician/qualified healthcare professional has started a surgical or diagnostic procedure (e.g., anesthesia administered, incision or scope insertion) and then discontinues…
    59Modifier 59 indicates a distinct procedural service when two procedures that are not normally billed together are clinically and procedurally separate. The CPT definition (as reiterated by CMS)…- Use modifier -59 to report a distinct procedural service when documentation supports that the procedure reported is not normally billed together with another service on the same day because of a…
    62Modifier 62 indicates that two surgeons function as co‑surgeons, each performing distinct parts of the same primary surgical procedure. It is appended to the primary procedure code (and any…- Use modifier -62 when two surgeons act as co‑surgeons (both primary surgeons) on a single definitive primary procedure, each performing distinct parts of the same surgical procedure (append -62 to…
    63Modifier‑63 is appended to surgical CPT codes (20000–69990) when a procedure is performed on a neonate or infant weighing ≤ 4 kg (about 8.8 lbs). The AMA/AAPC definition specifies this use and notes…- Use modifier -63 only for surgical procedures in the CPT 20000–69990 series performed on a neonate or infant who weighs ≤ 4 kg at the time of the procedure; it indicates increased complexity due to…
    76Modifier -76, Repeat Procedure or Service by Same Physician or Other Qualified Health Care Professional, is appended when the same provider performs an identical, medically necessary procedure or…- Use modifier -76 when the same physician or other qualified health care professional performs an identical procedure or service a second (or subsequent) time on the same date of service and the…
    73Modifier 73 indicates a facility-level outpatient hospital or ASC procedure that was discontinued after the patient was prepared and taken to the procedure/operating room but before any anesthesia…- When to use: Apply CPT modifier 73 on the FACILITY (outpatient hospital or ASC) claim when the patient has been fully prepared and physically taken into the procedure/operating room but the…
    74Modifier ‑74 indicates an outpatient hospital or ASC procedure that was discontinued after anesthesia was administered and after the procedure had begun. Use this modifier when anesthesia (local,…- Use modifier -74 when a procedure in an outpatient hospital or ASC setting is terminated after anesthesia has been administered and after the procedure has commenced (for example, after incision,…
    77Modifier 77 indicates that a previously performed procedure or service was legitimately repeated by a different physician or other qualified health care professional. The AMA’s CPT definition…- Use modifier 77 when a basic procedure or service already performed is repeated by a different physician or other qualified health care professional (for example, a second provider independently…

    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy Code
    364SC0200X
    208800000X
    193200000X
    3336I0012X
    183500000X
    207WX0108X
    222Z00000X
    332BP3500X

    Related ICD-10-CM Codes

    25 rows

    ICD-10-CM CodeDescription
    C22.0Liver cell carcinoma
    C23Malignant neoplasm of gallbladder
    C24.1Malignant neoplasm of ampulla of Vater
    C25.9Malignant neoplasm of pancreas, unspecified
    K29.70Gastritis, unspecified, without bleeding
    K29.71Gastritis, unspecified, with bleeding
    K31.89Other diseases of stomach and duodenum
    K80.00Calculus of gallbladder with acute cholecystitis without obstruction
    K80.10Calculus of gallbladder with chronic cholecystitis without obstruction
    K80.20Calculus of gallbladder without cholecystitis without obstruction

    Showing 1–10 of 25

    Related Payer Policy Updates

    Specialty: Gastroenterology1 / 2

    10 rows

    PolicyPayerEffective Date
    Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Field Stimulation for Functional Abdominal Pain Disordersbcbsvermont2026-12-01
    Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) Coverage Policyevicore2026-11-05
    Radiofrequency Therapy for Fecal IncontinenceCigna2026-10-15
    Magnetic Sphincter Augmentation for the Treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)univerahealthcare2026-10-15
    High-Resolution Anoscopy (HRA)Premera Bluecross2026-10-01
    Gastroesophageal and Gastrointestinal (GI) Services and ProceduresColorado Rocky Mountain Health Plans2026-10-01
    Fecal Analysis in the Diagnosis of Intestinal Dysbiosis and Fecal Microbiota Transplant TestingOscar Health2026-10-01
    Serum Testing for Hepatic Fibrosis in the Evaluation and Monitoring of Chronic Liver DiseaseOscar Health2026-10-01
    Pancreatic Enzyme Testing for Acute PancreatitisOscar Health2026-10-01
    Helicobacter pylori TestingOscar Health2026-10-01

    Related Codes

    CPT-43260-DIAGNOSTIC-ERCP-UPPER-ENDOSCOPY-BILIARY-CONTRAST

    CPT 43260: Diagnostic Upper Endoscopy with Cholangiography and Brushing

    CPT-43262-ERCP-SPHINCTEROTOMY-PAPILLOTOMY

    CPT 43262: ERCP with Sphincterotomy/Papillotomy

    CPT-43263-ENDOSCOPIC-ERCP-WITH-SPHINCTER-OF-ODDI-MANOMETRY

    CPT 43263: Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography with Sphincter of Oddi Manometry

    CPT-43264-ERCP-ENDOSCOPY-DUCTAL-STONE-REMOVAL

    CPT 43264: ERCP with Diagnostic Imaging and Ductal Stone Removal

    CPT-43265-ERCP-THERAPEUTIC-PANCREATICOBILIARY-STONE-DESTRUCTION

    CPT 43265: ERCP with Stone Destruction and Radiologic Assessment of Biliary/Pancreatic Ducts

    CPT-43270-EGD-UPPER-GASTROINTESTINAL-ENDOSCOPY-WITH-ABLATION

    CPT 43270: Esophagogastroduodenoscopy with Dilation and Lesion Ablation

    CPT-43273-ERCP-VISUALIZATION-PANCREATIC-COMMON-BILE-DUCTS

    CPT 43273: ERCP Visualization of Pancreatic or Bile Ducts

    CPT-43274-ERCP-BILIARY-OR-PANCREATIC-DUCT-STENT-PLACEMENT

    CPT 43274: ERCP with Biliary or Pancreatic Duct Stent Placement

    CPT-43275-ERCP-ENDOSCOPIC-REMOVAL-BILIARY-PANCREATIC-STENT-FOREIGN-BODY

    CPT 43275: ERCP with Removal of Biliary/Pancreatic Foreign Body or Stent

    CPT-43276-ERCP-WITH-SINGLE-DUCT-STENT-REMOVAL-AND-EXCHANGE

    CPT 43276: ERCP with Single Duct Stent Removal and Exchange

    Showing 1–10 of 12

    Frequently Asked Questions

    References

    1. 1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
    2. 2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
    3. 3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.
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