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CPT 47562: Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy (Gallbladder Removal)
CPT code 47562 represents a laparoscopic cholecystectomy — the minimally invasive surgical removal of the gallbladder using a laparoscope. Nationally, this procedure is a common surgical intervention for gallbladder disease, including symptomatic cholelithiasis and acute cholecystitis, and is a frequent driver of surgical case volume in both hospital and ambulatory surgery settings. Understanding coding and coverage for this procedure is important for surgical departments, ambulatory surgery centers, and payers because it affects authorization workflows, site-of-service decisions, and billing accuracy.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of the clinical service, typical sites of care, and diagnosis mappings that commonly justify the procedure. The publication also summarizes related procedural codes that clinicians and coders commonly encounter alongside 47562, and highlights points relevant for reimbursement workflows and claims submission. Practical benchmarking and policy implications tied to utilization, authorization, and site-of-service trends are provided to give a national perspective on how 47562 is applied across payers and care settings.
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Billing Code Overview
CPT code 47562 describes a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, in which the provider removes the gallbladder using a laparoscope — a tubular instrument with a light source and camera inserted through the abdominal wall. This procedure is used to treat gallbladder disease, including symptomatic gallstones and inflammatory conditions of the gallbladder.
Service Type: Surgical, minimally invasive abdominal procedure
Typical Site of Service: Inpatient or outpatient hospital surgical suite or ambulatory surgery center, where general anesthesia and laparoscopic equipment are available.
National Reimbursement Benchmarks
National comparison shows a clear premium gap: Blue Cross Blue Shield and BUCA (average commercial) have substantially higher mean rates than Medicare, with BUCA’s mean at $3,510 versus Medicare’s mean at $638.10 — BUCA’s average commercial reimbursement is roughly 5.5 times the Medicare mean, highlighting material differences between commercial aggregator pricing and the Medicare baseline.
Dispersion analysis (P75 minus P25) highlights variation across payers: Blue Cross Blue Shield’s interquartile spread is $4,569.10 (wideest), followed by UnitedHealth Group at $700.00, BUCA at $2,927.60, Cigna at $705.50, Aetna at $765.20, and Medicare showing the tightest spread at $53.00. These spreads indicate Blue Cross Blue Shield has the greatest rate dispersion while Medicare is the most compressed.