Cholecystectomy

CPT 47600 is the billing code for "Cholecystectomy". For open cholecystectomy via laparotomy

Medicare pays approximately $1048.03 for CPT 47600 (national average). Actual payment varies by geographic location due to GPCI adjustments. Hospital and commercial insurance rates are typically 2-4x higher than Medicare rates.

CPT 47600 has a total RVU of 32.15, broken down as: Work RVU 14.50, Practice Expense RVU 16.20, and Malpractice RVU 1.45. RVUs (Relative Value Units) determine Medicare reimbursement rates.

Key documentation requirements for CPT 47600 include: Indication for open cholecystectomy; Operative findings; Surgical approach and technique; CBD exploration if performed. Missing or incomplete documentation is a leading cause of claim denials for this code.

Bundling considerations for CPT 47600: Includes open cholecystectomy. Includes dissection and removal of gallbladder Use an NCCI bundling checker to verify specific code combinations before billing.

Common modifiers for CPT 47600 include: 22 (Increased procedural services for difficult cases), 51 (Multiple procedures performed same session), 52 (Reduced services if procedure not completed). Modifiers indicate special circumstances and can affect reimbursement or prevent claim denials.

The typical time requirement for CPT 47600 is 75-105 minutes typical operative time. Time-based codes require documentation of the actual time spent providing the service.