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    OpenPayerBilling CodesUrethra and Bladder Transurethral Surgical ProceduresCPT cpt-52265-diagnostic-cystoscopy-interstitial-cystitis-evaluation
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    CPT 52265: Diagnostic Cystoscopy for Interstitial Cystitis

    Medicare pays $357 on average nationally for this procedure.

    CPT code 52265 describes a cystoscopic inspection performed with the patient under local anesthesia in which a provider passes a cystoscope through the urethra into the bladder to inspect the urethra, prostatic urethra (in men), bladder interior, and ureteric orifices specifically to assess the bladder for interstitial cystitis; service type: diagnostic cystoscopy under local anesthesia; typical site of service: outpatient clinic or ambulatory surgery center procedure room.

    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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    Table of contents

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    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A 42-year-old patient presents to a urology clinic with chronic pelvic pain, urinary frequency, urgency, and dysuria refractory to conservative management and empiric antibiotics. After history, physical exam, and noninvasive testing (urinalysis, urine culture, bladder diary, and pelvic pain assessment), the urologist recommends direct visual inspection of the urethra and bladder under local anesthesia to evaluate for findings consistent with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS), including mucosal Hunner lesions or petechial hemorrhages and to assess ureteral orifice anatomy.

    The procedure is performed in an outpatient procedure room or minor procedure suite. With local anesthesia instilled into the urethra, a flexible or rigid cystoscope is passed transurethrally to inspect the urethra, prostatic urethra in men, the bladder interior, and ureteric openings. Findings are documented with still images or video. Specimens or biopsies may be obtained under separate, reportable codes if clinically indicated. The typical workflow includes pre-procedure consent and assessment, procedural time for cystoscopic inspection and documentation, post-procedure observation for recovery from local anesthesia, and discharge with aftercare instructions.

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure
    52000Cystourethroscopy, with or without collection of specimen(s) by brushing or washing, with or without ureteral catheterization, exclusive of radiologic servicePerformed when additional sampling (washings) or basic cystourethroscopy is performed in the workup; may be used if limited inspection only.
    52204Cystourethroscopy, with biopsy(s) of the bladder or urethra, including cold-cup biopsy(s) when performedPerformed when focal biopsy of suspicious bladder mucosa (for example, Hunner lesion) is obtained during evaluation for IC/BPS.
    52214Cystourethroscopy, with transurethral fulguration or resection of bladder tumor(s) (includes fulguration and/or resection)Performed when therapeutic endoscopic intervention for bladder lesions is required after diagnostic inspection.
    76942Ultrasonic guidance for needle placement (eg, for suprapubic approaches)May be used when image guidance is required for concurrent related procedures such as suprapubic catheter placement.
    99024Postoperative follow-up visit, included in global serviceRepresents routine postoperative follow-up visits associated with the cystoscopy when applicable.

    Related Modifiers

    9 rows

    ModifierDescriptionWhen to Use
    23Modifier -23 (Unusual Anesthesia) is used on anesthesia service CPT codes when a procedure that normally requires no anesthesia or only local anesthesia must be performed under general anesthesia…- Use modifier -23 only on anesthesia CPT codes (00100–01999) when a procedure that normally requires no anesthesia or only local anesthesia must be performed under general anesthesia because of…
    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…
    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…
    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…
    80CPT® Modifier 80 (Assistant Surgeon) is appended to a surgical CPT code when a physician (MD or DO) provides full, continuous assistance throughout the operative procedure. It is intended only for…- Use CPT Modifier -80 when a physician (MD or DO) serves as an assistant surgeon and provides full, continuous assistance throughout the entire operative procedure; append -80 to the surgical CPT…

    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy Code
    2084P0800X
    363LF0000X
    363LA2200X
    207RH0000X
    164W00000X
    2085N0904X
    225XF0002X
    242T00000X

    Related ICD-10-CM Codes

    25 rows

    ICD-10-CM CodeDescription
    D72.829Elevated white blood cell count, unspecified
    N30.10Interstitial cystitis (chronic) without hematuria
    N30.11Interstitial cystitis (chronic) with hematuria
    N32.0Bladder-neck obstruction
    N32.81Overactive bladder
    N34.1Nonspecific urethritis
    N34.2Other urethritis
    N34.3Urethral syndrome, unspecified
    N36.0Urethral fistula
    N39.0Urinary tract infection, site not specified

    Showing 1–10 of 25

    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-52204-CYSTOURETHROSCOPY-WITH-BIOPSY

    CPT 52204: Cystourethroscopy with Biopsy

    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-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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