CPT 44207 Laparoscopic Partial Colectomy Reimbursement | OpenPayer

Summary & Overview

CPT 44207: Laparoscopic Partial Colectomy with Colorectal Anastomosis

CPT code 44207 denotes a laparoscopic partial colectomy with colorectal anastomosis — a minimally invasive surgical resection of a portion of the colon with reconnection to the rectum. This procedure is a common approach for treating benign and malignant colonic pathology where restoration of bowel continuity is desired. Nationally, use of laparoscopic colectomy has implications for surgical outcomes, length of stay, and episodic costs, making accurate coding and clinical documentation important for quality measurement and payment.

Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. The publication summarizes how payers commonly classify and reimburse this operative service, highlights typical sites of care, and outlines documentation elements that support correct CPT coding.

Readers will find benchmark information on utilization and payment patterns, guidance on documentation elements tied to code selection, and clinical context about the procedure's indications and expected perioperative setting. Data not provided in the input are noted where applicable. The content is intended for coding professionals, surgical clinicians, and policy analysts seeking a concise national overview of CPT code 44207 and its operational implications.

AetnaBlue Cross Blue ShieldCigna HealthUnitedHealthcareMedicare44207CPTcolorectal surgerylaparoscopic colectomysurgical codinganastomosisoperative procedure

Billing Code Overview

CPT code 44207 describes a laparoscopic partial colectomy with colorectal anastomosis, in which the provider removes part of the colon and connects the remaining colon to the rectum. This procedure involves resection of a colonic segment using minimally invasive laparoscopic techniques and creation of an anastomosis between the colon and rectum.

Service type: Surgical — laparoscopic colorectal resection
Typical site of service: Hospital operating room or ambulatory surgical center, depending on clinical complexity and patient factors

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A 62-year-old patient with a history of recurrent diverticulitis presents with progressive left lower quadrant abdominal pain, altered bowel habits, and intermittent rectal bleeding. Imaging (CT abdomen/pelvis) demonstrates segmental sigmoid colon disease with pericolic inflammation and a narrowed lumen. After multidisciplinary review, the patient is scheduled for an elective laparoscopic partial colectomy with colorectal anastomosis to resect the diseased sigmoid colon and restore bowel continuity. The perioperative workflow includes preoperative optimization (bowel preparation, antibiotics, VTE prophylaxis), anesthesia evaluation, intraoperative laparoscopic mobilization and resection of the affected colon segment, creation of a tension-free colorectal anastomosis, leak testing, and placement of drains if indicated. Postoperative care includes pain control, early ambulation, diet advancement, monitoring for anastomotic leak or ileus, and discharge planning with follow-up for pathology results and outpatient recovery assessment. Typical site of service is an inpatient hospital operating room; this procedure may also occur in ambulatory surgical centers for select low-risk patients.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`22`	Increased procedural services	Use when work or time substantially exceeds usual requirements for the procedure.

CPT 44202: Laparoscopic Small Bowel Resection with Single Anastomosis

CPT-44213-LAPAROSCOPIC-SPLENIC-FLEXURE-MOBILIZATION-ADD-ON

CPT 44213: Laparoscopic Mobilization of Splenic Flexure (Add-on)

CPT-44206-LAPAROSCOPIC-PARTIAL-COLECTOMY-END-COLOSTOMY

CPT 44206: Laparoscopic Partial Colectomy with End Colostomy

CPT-44205-LAPAROSCOPIC-PARTIAL-COLECTOMY-ILEOCOLIC-RESECTION-ANASTOMOSIS

CPT 44205: Laparoscopic Partial Colectomy with Ileocolic Resection

CPT-44211-LAPAROSCOPIC-TOTAL-COLECTOMY-ILEOANAL-POUCH-LOOP-ILEOSTOMY

CPT 44211: Laparoscopic Total Colectomy with Ileal Pouch and Loop Ileostomy

CPT-44210-LAPAROSCOPIC-TOTAL-COLECTOMY-ILEOPROCTOSTOMY-OR-ILEOSTOMY

CPT 44210: Laparoscopic Total Colectomy with Ileoproctostomy or Ileostomy

CPT-44208-LAPAROSCOPIC-PARTIAL-COLECTOMY-COLOPROCTOSTOMY-COLOSTOMY

CPT 44208: Laparoscopic Partial Colectomy with Coloproctostomy and Colostomy

CPT-44204-LAPAROSCOPIC-PARTIAL-COLECTOMY-PRIMARY-ANASTOMOSIS

CPT 44204: Laparoscopic Partial Colectomy with Primary Anastomosis

CPT-44203-LAPAROSCOPIC-ADDITIONAL-SMALL-INTESTINE-RESECTION-ANASTOMOSIS

CPT 44203: Additional Laparoscopic Small Intestine Resection and Anastomosis

CPT-44212-LAPAROSCOPIC-TOTAL-COLECTOMY-PROCTECTOMY-ILEOSTOMY

CPT 44212: Laparoscopic Total Colectomy with Proctectomy and Ileostomy

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Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
207W00000X	Colon & Rectal Surgery	Primary specialty performing segmental colectomy and colorectal anastomosis.
208000000X	General Surgery	General surgeons commonly perform laparoscopic colectomy in many hospitals.
207L00000X	Surgical Oncology	Oncology surgeons perform colectomy when malignancy is suspected or confirmed.
363L00000X	Acute Care Surgery	Surgeons managing urgent or emergent presentations such as perforation or severe diverticulitis.
207K00000X	Thoracic Surgery	Included when combined thoracoabdominal approaches or multidisciplinary care are required.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`K57.32`	Diverticulitis of large intestine with perforation and abscess, chronic or unspecified	Diverticulitis is a common indication for sigmoid colectomy with colorectal anastomosis when recurrent, complicated, or refractory to medical therapy.
`K57.20`	Diverticulitis of large intestine without perforation or abscess, chronic	Elective resection is indicated for recurrent symptomatic diverticulitis affecting the sigmoid colon.
`K50.912`	Crohn's disease of intestine, unspecified, without complications	Segmental colonic disease from inflammatory bowel disease may require resection and anastomosis.
`K51.914`	Ulcerative colitis, unspecified, without complications	Medically refractory ulcerative colitis or dysplasia may prompt colectomy with restorative anastomosis.
`C18.7`	Malignant neoplasm of sigmoid colon	Colon cancer located in the sigmoid colon is a common oncologic indication for partial colectomy with colorectal anastomosis.
`K63.5`	Polyp of colon	Large or unresectable polyps may require segmental colectomy when endoscopic removal is not feasible.
`K61.3`	Perianal and rectal abscess	Complicated disease with adjacent infection may necessitate resection and drainage as part of operative management.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`44208`	Laparoscopy, surgical; colectomy, partial, with coloproctostomy (low pelvic anastomosis)	Code for laparoscopic partial colectomy with colorectal anastomosis when a lower pelvic anastomosis or additional complexity is documented; closely related and may represent variant technique or anatomic level.
`44204`	Laparoscopy, surgical; colectomy, partial, with anastomosis	Represents laparoscopic partial colectomy with anastomosis for other colon segments; used when the specific colorectal anastomosis descriptor of `44207` does not apply.
`44140`	Colectomy, partial; with anastomosis, open procedure	Open (laparotomy) equivalent for partial colectomy with anastomosis; used when conversion from laparoscopy to open occurs.
`44320`	Colostomy or enterostomy, exteriorization of intestine (e.g., loop colostomy)	May be performed intraoperatively if diversion is required instead of primary anastomosis.
`49000`	Exploratory laparotomy, exploratory celiotomy with or without biopsy(s)	May be used preoperatively or intraoperatively if additional exploration or biopsy is performed outside the planned colectomy.
`47562`	Laparoscopy, surgical; cholecystectomy	Common concomitant procedure when incidental gallbladder disease is treated during the same anesthetic; use when documented.

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