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    v1.0.30
    OpenPayerBilling CodesEndoscopy Procedures on the AnusCPT cpt-46600-anoscopy-with-anal-canal-sampling
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    CPT 46600: Anoscopy with Anal Canal Specimen Collection

    Medicare pays $134 and commercial payers pay $135 on average nationally for this procedure.

    CPT code 46600 describes an anoscopy procedure in which a clinician performs an examination of the anus using a small rigid anoscope and collects specimens from the anal canal by brushing or washing for laboratory diagnostic analysis; typical service type is an endoscopic diagnostic specimen collection and the usual site of service is an outpatient clinic or ambulatory surgical center where anoscopic evaluation and specimen collection are performed.

    For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Surgical Procedures, Outpatient Surgical Procedures - Site of Service, Site of Service Ambulatory Service Center (ASC) Select — Surgical or Diagnostic Procedures in Adults.

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    National Reimbursement Benchmarks

    National averages place Medicare and BUCA (average commercial) in similar territory: Medicare mean rate is $134.3 while BUCA’s mean is $135.2, indicating near parity between federal payment levels and this commercial aggregate. The proximity of these means suggests that, on average, BUCA reimbursements align closely with Medicare for CPT 46600, though BUCA’s quartiles (P25 $88.8, P50 $116.8, P75 $174.2) imply a broader spread within that commercial grouping.

    Dispersion measured as P75 minus P25 highlights which payers are tightest and widest. Blue Cross Blue Shield shows a range of $78.8 (P75 $187.7 minus P25 $110.9), Cigna’s range is $110.1, UnitedHealth Group’s range is $100.4, Aetna’s range is $80.5, and BUCA’s range is $85.4; Medicare’s interquartile spread is $17 (P75 $140 minus P25 $123), the tightest of the set. Cigna exhibits the widest IQR at $110.1, indicating the greatest middle‑50% variability.

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    National Payer Mean Reimbursement Rates

    State Reimbursement Rates

    State: Alaska1 / 51

    Rate by payer

    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A 52-year-old patient presents to a gastroenterology clinic with complaints of intermittent rectal bleeding and anal discomfort. The provider obtains a focused history noting intermittent bright red blood on stool and occasional mucous discharge; the patient has no significant abdominal pain or systemic signs. After inspection and digital rectal exam, the clinician recommends a diagnostic anoscopy to visualize the distal anal canal, identify bleeding sources (for example, hemorrhoids or anal fissures), and collect cytologic or microbiologic samples.

    The clinical workflow includes check-in and informed consent, positioning the patient in the left lateral decubitus or lithotomy position, external inspection and digital rectal exam, insertion of a small rigid anoscope for direct visualization, targeted brushing or lavage of the anal canal mucosa to collect samples, removal of the anoscope, and labeling and sending specimens to the laboratory for analysis. Documentation includes indication, procedural findings, sample collection method, specimens sent, any immediate complications, and disposition. Typical sites of service are outpatient clinic procedure rooms, ambulatory surgery centers for brief procedures, or emergency departments if performed for acute bleeding evaluation.

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure
    46601Anoscopy with biopsy, single or multipleUsed when targeted tissue biopsy is obtained in addition to or instead of brushing/washings during anoscopy.

    Related Modifiers

    11 rows

    ModifierDescriptionWhen to Use
    25CPT modifier 25 indicates that on the same day as another procedure or service, the same physician or other qualified health care professional provided a significant, separately identifiable…- When to apply: Use modifier 25 only on an E/M code to indicate the same provider delivered a significant, separately identifiable E/M service on the same day as another procedure or service — i.e.,…
    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…
    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…
    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…
    58Modifier 58 (Staged or related procedure/service by the same physician during the postoperative period) indicates that a subsequent procedure performed by the same provider during the…- Use modifier 58 when the same physician/QHP performs a procedure during the postoperative/global period of an earlier procedure and the subsequent procedure is either planned or anticipated…
    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…
    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…
    78CPT modifier -78 indicates an unplanned, related return to the operating or procedure room by the same provider during the global postoperative period. It is appended when treatment for a…- Use modifier -78 when an unplanned, related complication during the original procedure’s global postoperative period requires the patient to return to a formal operating or procedure room and the…
    22Modifier –22 (Increased Procedural Services) is used when a reported procedure is substantially more extensive than normally required. The CPT Manual and CMS state it may be appended only when the…- When to use: Append modifier -22 to a procedural CPT code when the service performed is substantially more extensive than the usual service described by that code — i.e., the procedure required…

    Showing 1–10 of 11

    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy Code
    207RG0100X
    208C00000X
    207Q00000X
    2080P0203X
    103TC2200X
    1223G0001X
    335U00000X
    133VN1004X

    Related ICD-10-CM Codes

    25 rows

    ICD-10-CM CodeDescription
    A63.8Other specified predominantly sexually transmitted diseases
    C21.0Malignant neoplasm of anus, unspecified
    D07.5Carcinoma in situ of prostate
    D37.4Neoplasm of uncertain behavior of colon
    K59.1Functional diarrhea
    K60.0Acute anal fissure
    K60.1Chronic anal fissure
    K60.2Anal fissure, unspecified
    K62.0Anal polyp
    K62.3Rectal prolapse

    Showing 1–10 of 25

    Related Payer Policy Updates

    Specialty: General Surgery1 / 3

    10 rows

    PolicyPayerEffective Date
    Surgical ProceduresUnitedHealthcare2026-09-01
    Outpatient Surgical Procedures - Site of ServiceUnitedHealthcare2026-09-01
    Site of Service Ambulatory Service Center (ASC) Select — Surgical or Diagnostic Procedures in AdultsPremera Bluecross2026-09-01
    Site of Service Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Select — Surgical or Diagnostic Procedures in AdultsPremera Bluecross2026-09-01
    Site of Service Ambulatory Service Center (ASC) SelectPremera Bluecross2026-09-01
    Site of Service Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Select — Site of Service for Ambulatory Surgical Procedures (ASC Select)Premera Bluecross2026-09-01
    Site of Service Ambulatory Service Center (ASC) SelectPremera Bluecross2026-09-01
    Outpatient Surgical Procedures - Site of Servicesierra health and life2026-08-01
    Medical Necessity Guidelines — Inpatient Surgical CareMass General Brigham Health Plan2026-08-01
    Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) - Site of Care PolicyKaiser Permanente2026-08-01

    Related Codes

    CPT-46601-DIAGNOSTIC-ANOSCOPY-ENHANCED-VISUALIZATION

    CPT 46601: Diagnostic Anoscopy with Enhanced Visualization

    CPT-46604-ANOSCOPY-WITH-ANAL-DILATION

    CPT 46604: Anoscopy with Anal Dilation

    CPT-46606-ANOSCOPY-WITH-BIOPSY

    CPT 46606: Anoscopy with Biopsy, Anal Canal Tissue Sampling

    CPT-46607-ANOSCOPY-WITH-MAGNIFICATION-CHEMICAL-ENHANCEMENT-BIOPSY

    CPT 46607: Anoscopy with High-Resolution Magnification and Biopsy

    CPT-46608-ANOSCOPY-WITH-ANAL-FOREIGN-BODY-REMOVAL

    CPT 46608: Anoscopy with Removal of Anal Foreign Body

    CPT-46610-ANOSCOPY-SINGLE-LESION-REMOVAL-HOT-BIOPSY-BIPOLAR-CAUTERY

    CPT 46610: Anoscopy with Removal of Single Lesion

    CPT-46611-ANOSCOPY-SNARE-POLYPECTOMY

    CPT 46611: Anoscopy with Removal of Single Polyp/Tumor

    CPT-46612-ANOSCOPY-MULTIPLE-LESION-REMOVAL

    CPT 46612: Anoscopy with Removal of Multiple Lesions

    CPT-46614-ANOSCOPY-WITH-HEMOSTASIS

    CPT 46614: Anoscopy with Control of Bleeding

    CPT-46615-ANOSCOPY-LESION-EXCISION

    CPT 46615: Anoscopy with Excision of Anorectal Lesion

    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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    46607Anoscopy with excision of lesion(s)Used when removal or excision of an anorectal lesion is performed during the anoscopy encounter.
    46948Hemorrhoidectomy, internal and external, using various techniques (note: code provided without description)Used when definitive surgical treatment for hemorrhoids is performed in a subsequent or same operative episode; related in the surgical management pathway for patients with significant hemorrhoidal disease.