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    v1.0.30
    OpenPayerBilling CodesUrethra and Bladder Transurethral Surgical ProceduresCPT cpt-52204-cystourethroscopy-with-biopsy
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    CPT 52204: Cystourethroscopy with Biopsy

    Medicare pays $369 and commercial payers pay $1307 on average nationally for this procedure.

    CPT code 52204 describes a diagnostic cystourethroscopy with biopsy in which the provider inspects the urethra, prostatic urethra (in men), bladder interior, and ureteric orifices using a cystoscope passed through the urethra and obtains tissue samples; service type: cystourethroscopy with biopsy; typical site of service: outpatient procedure room, ambulatory surgery center, or hospital outpatient department.

    For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Abortion Services, Prolonged Services for Labor Management, Prolonged Services for Labor Management.

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    National Reimbursement Benchmarks

    Medicare’s mean rate of $368.6 sits well below BUCA’s average commercial mean of $1,306.7, indicating a substantial gap between public reimbursement and this commercial benchmark. The difference of $938.1 highlights how commercial agreements with BUCA can yield materially higher average payments than Medicare for CPT 52204, which may influence payer mix economics and revenue expectations.

    Dispersion varies notably across payers. Blue Cross Blue Shield shows the widest interquartile spread (P75–P25 = $2,891.0), followed by BUCA with a spread of $1,809.5 and UnitedHealth Group at $370.0, indicating broader variability in commercial contracting for those payers. Aetna and Cigna are comparatively tighter, with spreads of $289.0 and $335.0 respectively, signaling more consistent negotiated rates around their medians.

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    National Payer Mean Reimbursement Rates

    State Reimbursement Rates

    State: Alaska1 / 51

    Rate by payer

    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A 56-year-old male presents to the urology clinic with several weeks of intermittent gross hematuria, urinary frequency, and dysuria. The patient has a history of recurrent urinary tract infections and a smoking history. Initial evaluation includes urinalysis showing hematuria and a urine culture pending. Imaging (renal ultrasound or CT urogram) did not identify an obvious upper tract source. The urologist schedules a diagnostic cystourethroscopy with biopsy using a rigid or flexible cystoscope to directly visualize the urethra, prostatic urethra, bladder interior, and ureteral orifices, and to obtain targeted biopsies of suspicious lesions or areas of erythema for histopathology.

    Clinical workflow:

    • Pre-procedure: History and focused physical exam, informed consent, review of anticoagulation status, pre-procedure antibiotics if indicated, and marking of the site of service.

    • Procedure: In the ambulatory surgery center or hospital outpatient department (typical site of service), cystourethroscopy is performed using sterile technique. Local, regional, or general anesthesia is used per patient factors. The provider inspects the urethra, prostatic urethra (in men), bladder mucosa, trigone, and ureteric orifices. Biopsy forceps are passed through the cystoscope to obtain tissue samples for pathology.

    • Post-procedure: Hemostasis assessment, urine may be sent for culture or cytology, biopsy specimens are labeled and sent to pathology (medical and clinical laboratory taxonomies may be involved for processing), discharge instructions are provided, and follow-up is arranged for pathology results and further management.

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT Code

    Related Modifiers

    9 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.,…
    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…
    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…
    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…
    51Modifier –51 (Multiple Procedures) is used when the same provider performs multiple procedures in the same session to identify secondary, non‑exempt procedures and indicate payment reduction logic…- Use modifier -51 when the same provider performs multiple distinct procedures during the same patient encounter: report the highest‑valued procedure first (no modifier) and append -51 to…
    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,…

    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy Code
    208000000X
    170300000X
    225XP0019X
    207XS0106X
    163WX0601X
    163WP0200X
    251T00000X
    363LP0808X

    Related ICD-10-CM Codes

    32 rows

    ICD-10-CM CodeDescription
    C67.2Malignant neoplasm of lateral wall of bladder
    C67.3Malignant neoplasm of anterior wall of bladder
    C67.9Malignant neoplasm of bladder, unspecified
    D41.4Neoplasm of uncertain behavior of bladder
    D41.9Neoplasm of uncertain behavior of unspecified urinary organ
    N11.0Nonobstructive reflux-associated chronic pyelonephritis
    N11.1Chronic obstructive pyelonephritis
    N13.2Hydronephrosis with renal and ureteral calculous obstruction
    N20.0Calculus of kidney
    N20.1Calculus of ureter

    Showing 1–10 of 32

    Related Payer Policy Updates

    Specialty: Obstetrics/Gynecology1 / 2

    10 rows

    PolicyPayerEffective Date
    Abortion ServicesNew Mexico Health Care Authority2027-01-01
    Prolonged Services for Labor ManagementPremera Bluecross2027-01-01
    Prolonged Services for Labor ManagementPremera Bluecross2027-01-01
    Maternal Serum Testing for Prediction of Adverse Obstetric OutcomesPremera Bluecross2026-10-01
    Maternal Serum Testing for Prediction of Adverse Obstetric OutcomesPremera Bluecross2026-10-01
    Maternal Serum Testing for Prediction of Adverse Obstetric OutcomesBlue Cross Blue Shield - Massachusetts2026-10-01
    Cervical Cancer ScreeningOscar Health2026-10-01
    Prenatal Testing for Fetal AneuploidyOscar Health2026-10-01
    Diagnosis of VaginitisOscar Health2026-10-01
    Prenatal Screening (Nongenetic)Oscar Health2026-10-01

    Related Codes

    CPT-52214-TRANSURETHRAL-BLADDER-URETHRAL-TISSUE-DESTRUCTION

    CPT 52214: Endoscopic Destruction of Bladder/Urethral Tissue

    CPT-52224-CYSTOSCOPY-LESION-DESTRUCTION-MINOR

    CPT 52224: Cystoscopy with Destruction of Minor Bladder Lesion

    CPT-52234-CYSTOSCOPIC-DESTRUCTION-SMALL-BLADDER-LESION

    CPT 52234: Cystoscopy with Destruction of Small Bladder Lesion

    CPT-52235-CYSTOSCOPIC-DESTRUCTION-MEDIUM-BLADDER-LESION-2-5CM

    CPT 52235: Cystoscopy with Fulguration of Medium Bladder Lesion

    CPT-52240-CYSTOSCOPY-LESION-FULGURATION-ABLATION-GREATER-THAN-5CM

    CPT 52240: Cystoscopy with Destruction of Bladder Lesion (>5.0 cm)

    CPT-52250-CYSTOSCOPIC-INTRAVESICAL-RADIOACTIVE-THERAPY-FOR-BLADDER-CANCER

    CPT 52250: Cystoscopy with Intravesical Radioisotope Therapy

    CPT-52260-DIAGNOSTIC-CYSTOSCOPY-INTERSTITIAL-CYSTITIS-EVALUATION

    CPT 52260: Cystoscopic Inspection Under Anesthesia for Interstitial Cystitis

    CPT-52265-DIAGNOSTIC-CYSTOSCOPY-INTERSTITIAL-CYSTITIS-EVALUATION

    CPT 52265: Diagnostic Cystoscopy for Interstitial Cystitis

    CPT-52270-CYSTOSCOPIC-URETHROTOMY-INTERNAL-URETHRAL-STRICTURE

    CPT 52270: Cystoscopy with Incision of Internal Urethral Stricture (Female)

    CPT-52275-CYSTOSCOPY-INTERNAL-URETHROTOMY-STRICTURE-INCISION

    CPT 52275: Cystoscopy with Internal Urethrotomy

    Showing 1–10 of 26

    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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    Description
    Relationship to This Procedure
    52214Cystourethroscopy, with fulguration (including cryosurgery or laser surgery) of trigone, bladder neck, prostatic fossa, urethra, or periurethral glandsPerformed when lesion treatment (fulguration or laser) is required in addition to or instead of biopsy; may follow diagnostic cystoscopy if a treatable lesion is identified.
    52224Cystourethroscopy, with fulguration (including cryosurgery or laser surgery) or treatment of MINOR (less than 0.5 cm) lesion(s) with or without biopsyUsed when small lesion(s) are treated at the time of cystoscopy; may be billed instead of or in addition to diagnostic biopsy depending on documentation.