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CPT 52332: Cystourethroscopy with Ureteral Stent Placement
CPT code 52332 denotes cystourethroscopy with insertion of an indwelling ureteral stent — a combined diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic procedure used to inspect the lower urinary tract and relieve ureteral obstruction. Nationally, this code captures a common urologic intervention for obstructive processes such as ureteral calculi, hydronephrosis, and other causes of impaired ureteral drainage. Proper coding of 52332 affects facility and professional billing streams and is relevant to utilization, authorization, and quality measurement across payers.
This analysis covers major national payers including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, United Healthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise clinical context for the procedure, payer coverage landscape, common billing relationships with related cystoscopy codes, and considerations that frequently affect claims processing such as site of service and procedure bundling. The publication summarizes where 52332 sits in common urology workflows, highlights typical indications, and outlines related coding elements for comparative reference. Intended for coding professionals, billing managers, and policy analysts, the summary provides the key facts needed to understand clinical purpose, service settings, and payer relevance at a national level.
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Billing Code Overview
CPT code 52332 describes a cystourethroscopy with insertion of an indwelling ureteral stent. The procedure involves inspection of the bladder, urethra, prostatic urethra, and ureteric orifices using a cystoscope passed through the urethra into the bladder, and placement of a ureteral stent to facilitate urinary drainage.
Service type: Diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic urologic procedure with ureteral stent placement
Typical site of service: Hospital outpatient department or ambulatory surgery center; may also be performed in a physician office with appropriate endoscopy capability
National Reimbursement Benchmarks
Medicare’s national average of $386.60 for CPT 52332 sits below BUCA’s average commercial level of $1,702.40, indicating a substantial gap between federal reimbursement and the broader commercial market. BUCA’s mean is roughly $1,315.80 higher than Medicare, reflecting that commercial arrangements can pay multiple times the Medicare average for this code. These two payers should be read as benchmarks at opposite ends of the public-versus-commercial spectrum.
Dispersion measured by the interquartile range (P75–P25) varies notably: Blue Cross Blue Shield shows the widest spread at $2,543.70, followed by BUCA at $1,561.20 and UnitedHealth Group at $469.10. Aetna and Cigna are tighter, with ranges of $282.70 and $377.00 respectively, making Aetna the tightest and Blue Cross Blue Shield the widest in terms of middle 50% variability.