Cholecystectomy with exploration of common bile duct

CPT 47610 is the billing code for "Cholecystectomy with exploration of common bile duct". For open cholecystectomy with exploration of common bile duct

Medicare pays approximately $1224.64 for CPT 47610 (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 47610 has a total RVU of 42.62, broken down as: Work RVU 19.20, Practice Expense RVU 21.50, and Malpractice RVU 1.92. RVUs (Relative Value Units) determine Medicare reimbursement rates.

Key documentation requirements for CPT 47610 include: Indication for cholecystectomy and CBD exploration; Operative findings including CBD stones; Exploration technique used; Stone removal technique. Missing or incomplete documentation is a leading cause of claim denials for this code.

Bundling considerations for CPT 47610: Includes open cholecystectomy. Includes CBD exploration Use an NCCI bundling checker to verify specific code combinations before billing.

Common modifiers for CPT 47610 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 47610 is 105-135 minutes typical operative time. Time-based codes require documentation of the actual time spent providing the service.