CPT code 55860 denotes a surgical perineal incision to expose the prostate and enable insertion of radioactive material for treatment of prostate cancer. This code captures the access portion of prostate brachytherapy when one clinician creates the surgical approach and another typically performs the radioactive implant. Nationally, the code matters because it distinguishes the access procedure from the implant itself for billing, coverage determinations, and quality measurement in prostate cancer care pathways.

Key payers included in this analysis are Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of the clinical context for CPT code 55860, benchmarking considerations used by major commercial and federal payers, and the typical sites of service where the procedure is performed. The publication outlines coding relationships relevant to brachytherapy workflows, summarizes common modifier usage reported by payers where available, and highlights operational points for claims submission and unitization of services.

This summary is written for a national audience and is intended to clarify what CPT code 55860 represents, why the distinction between access and implantation is important for billing and care coordination, and what topics a reader can expect in the full publication, including reimbursement benchmarks, payer policy trends, and clinical service-line implications.