Hysterectomy CPT Codes: What Each Code Means and How to Find Yours

If you have had a hysterectomy — or one is scheduled — you will see a five-digit number on your bill and your insurance paperwork. That number is the CPT code: the code your surgeon’s office uses to tell your insurer exactly which operation was performed. About 600,000 hysterectomies are performed in the United States every year, and every one of them is billed with one of these codes. CPT (Current Procedural Terminology) is the coding system maintained by the American Medical Association (AMA) and used by Medicare and private insurers to decide what gets paid.

The code is not random. It is decided by three facts about your operation: how the surgeon reached the uterus (through the abdomen, through the vagina, or with a laparoscope), how much the uterus weighed, and how much tissue was removed. Change any one of those facts and the code changes. This guide gives you the complete list, explains what each code means in plain language, and — unlike the coding guides written for billing offices — shows you how to find the code for your own operation and check that your bill is right.

One note before the list: a hysterectomy is not the only option for every condition. For heavy menstrual bleeding, for example, some women are candidates for endometrial ablation instead. If you are still weighing options, read our comparison of endometrial ablation vs. hysterectomy. The rest of this guide is about the operation itself and the code that follows it.

How we chose the codes in this guide

Every code and descriptor in this guide was cross-checked against professional coding guidance from AAPC and against payer policy documents from UnitedHealthcare and state Medicaid programs, all current for 2026. That checking mattered: several of the most-read billing guides on this topic contain wrong descriptors — for example, listing 58260 as a radical hysterectomy, or 58550 as a supracervical procedure — so we verified each code against at least two independent sources before including it. CPT codes are revised by the AMA every year, so if you are reading this after 2026, confirm the codes in the current CPT codebook. This guide is educational: it explains the codes, but it is not coding advice for a billing office, and it does not replace your surgeon’s or insurer’s guidance.

The complete hysterectomy CPT code list

Read the tables like this: the code on the left, what it means in plain language on the right. The phrase “with or without removal of tube(s) and/or ovary(s)” appears in many descriptors. It means the removal of the fallopian tubes and ovaries is included in that code when it happens — it is never billed as a separate procedure on top of it. The tables are grouped by approach, because approach is the first thing that decides the code.

Abdominal (open) hysterectomy: 58150–58240

An open hysterectomy is performed through an incision in the abdomen. It is usually chosen for a very large uterus, cancer, or extensive scar tissue. Open procedures generally carry higher relative value units (RVUs) — the measure Medicare uses to set payment — than the same work done laparoscopically, because the operation itself is more demanding.

Vaginal hysterectomy: 58260–58294

A vaginal hysterectomy removes the uterus through the vagina, with no abdominal incision. It is often the least invasive option when the uterus is not too large, and it usually means a shorter hospital stay. After a vaginal hysterectomy the top of the vagina is closed with stitches — the vaginal cuff — and a rare but serious complication is a vaginal cuff tear, which needs urgent care.

The difference between 58292 and 58294 is only the tubes and ovaries: 58292 includes their removal, 58294 does not. It is one of the easiest pairs to confuse, and it is also why the operative report matters — the code follows what was actually done, not what was planned.

Laparoscopic hysterectomy: 58541–58575

In a laparoscopic hysterectomy the surgeon works through small incisions in the abdomen using a camera. There are three families: supracervical (cervix kept), laparoscopic-assisted vaginal (LAVH), and total laparoscopic (TLH). The weight split — 250 grams or less versus more than 250 grams — applies to all three.

Do not be misled by the range “58570–58575”: code 58575 does not belong to the weight split. It was added in 2018 for laparoscopic cancer debulking, and it should only be used when the operation was a tumor resection with omentectomy. Using it for an ordinary total laparoscopic hysterectomy would be a coding error.

Radical hysterectomy and cancer surgery: 58200, 58210, 58548, 58951–58956

When hysterectomy is done for cancer, the operation is wider: it removes the uterus and cervix plus surrounding tissue and lymph nodes, and sometimes the ovaries, tubes and omentum (the fatty apron over the abdomen) for staging or debulking. These codes are usually reported by gynecologic oncologists.

The 250-gram rule: the number that changes your code

A normal uterus weighs about 60 grams. The CPT system draws its line at 250 grams — roughly the weight of a small grapefruit. Below the line, one set of codes applies; above it, another. That single number is the most common reason the code on a claim differs from the code a surgeon expected before the operation.

The weight comes from the pathology report: after surgery, the removed uterus is weighed in the laboratory. Fibroids that were removed as a separate specimen do not count toward the weight — a rule coding experts repeat often, because a uterus full of fibroids can easily weigh more than 250 grams on its own. If your uterus was enlarged by fibroids, the code may still be the “250 g or less” code, because only the uterus itself is weighed.

Because the weight is only known after surgery, the code can legitimately change between the plan and the claim. That is normal — but it is also why you should check the code on your bill against the pathology report rather than against what was discussed in the consultation. The approach also affects how long recovery takes — see our hysterectomy recovery timeline for what to expect week by week.

How to find the CPT code for your hysterectomy

You do not need a coding textbook. Three documents tell you everything, and you are entitled to all of them.

Step 1: Read the operative report. The operative report is the surgeon’s own account of the operation. It states the approach (abdominal, vaginal or laparoscopic), whether the cervix was removed, whether the tubes and ovaries were removed, and any extra procedures such as enterocele repair. With those facts and the tables above, you can identify the code yourself. You can request the operative report from the hospital’s medical records department or download it from your patient portal.

Step 2: Check the itemized bill and the explanation of benefits (EOB). The itemized bill from the hospital or surgical center lists each charge with its CPT code. Your insurer’s explanation of benefits lists the same codes and shows what was paid and what was denied. On a hospital bill the code may appear on the UB-04 form; on a surgeon’s bill it appears on the CMS-1500 form. Look for the five-digit number next to the word “hysterectomy.”

Step 3: Ask the billing office. If the documents are unclear, call the surgeon’s billing office and ask three questions: “What CPT code was submitted for my hysterectomy?”, “What is the uterus weight in my pathology report?”, and “Was prior authorization obtained before the surgery?” Write down the answers and the name of the person you spoke to.

Modifiers: the two-letter add-ons that change the claim

A modifier is a two-character suffix added to a CPT code. It does not change which operation was done — it explains how the operation differed from the usual case. The ones that matter for hysterectomy:

Two things you should never see on a correct claim: a separate charge for removing the tubes or ovaries when your hysterectomy code already says “with or without removal of tube(s) and/or ovary(s)”, and modifier -50 (bilateral procedure) — there is only one uterus, so a hysterectomy can never be bilateral.

Robotic hysterectomy: why there is no separate robot code

A robotic hysterectomy is a laparoscopic hysterectomy in which the surgeon controls the instruments through a robotic system. The robot is a tool, not a different operation — and the coding system treats it that way. In 2007 the American Medical Association decided that no additional CPT code was needed for robotic-assisted procedures, and that position still stands.

In practice, a robotic hysterectomy is reported with the laparoscopic code that matches the approach and the uterus weight — usually one of 58570–58573 for a total laparoscopic hysterectomy. If you see a code on your bill that mentions the robot, it is probably S2900, and that is not a CPT code at all: it is an HCPCS Level II add-on code for the use of the robotic surgical system, reported only alongside the primary procedure code. Medicare generally does not pay S2900 separately, and several payers deny it outright.

What this means for you: the robot should not add a line item to your bill, and it should not change the CPT code. If your bill shows a separate charge for robotic assistance, ask the billing office to explain it.

What the code means for your insurance and your bill

Prior authorization. Some health plans require prior authorization before an elective hysterectomy — approval obtained in advance, or the claim can be denied even if the surgery was medically necessary. Ask your surgeon’s office to confirm that authorization was obtained before your surgery date, and keep the authorization number.

Medical necessity. A CPT code on its own does not prove the surgery was needed. The claim also carries a diagnosis code (ICD-10) that explains why. The most common pairings:

Denials. Denials are common in this area: industry figures put OBGYN claim denial rates at 18–22%. The most frequent reasons are a missing prior authorization, a code that does not match the documented uterus weight, and missing documentation. If your claim is denied, ask the insurer for the denial reason in writing, get a copy of your operative report and pathology report, and ask your surgeon’s office to file an appeal. If the appeal fails, you can usually complain to your state’s department of insurance.

The 90-day global period. Most hysterectomy codes carry a 90-day global period: routine follow-up visits for 90 days after surgery are included in the surgical payment, so you should not receive a separate bill for a normal post-operative check. A visit for a new problem or a complication can be billed separately — but a routine wound check inside those 90 days should not be.

Your money. The CPT code decides what the insurer pays the surgeon. It does not decide what you pay. Your out-of-pocket cost comes from your plan’s deductible, copay and coinsurance. That is why two women with the same CPT code can have very different bills — and why the most useful question before surgery is not “what is the code?” but “what will I owe after my deductible?”

One hard rule. A hysterectomy performed only for sterilization is nationally non-covered by Medicare, and most private plans follow the same principle. A hysterectomy must be medically necessary — for fibroids, bleeding, prolapse or cancer, for example — to be covered.

How to check your bill before you pay

Before you pay any balance, run through this checklist. It takes ten minutes and catches the most common errors:

• The approach on the bill matches what your surgeon told you (abdominal, vaginal or laparoscopic).
• The uterus weight in the pathology report matches the code: 250 g or less, or more than 250 g.
• There is no separate charge for removing the tubes or ovaries if your code says “with or without removal of tube(s) and/or ovary(s)”.
• No separate charge for a routine post-operative visit inside the 90-day global period.
• Prior authorization was obtained before surgery — ask for the authorization number if it is not on the bill.
• If your ovaries were removed, ask your surgeon about surgical menopause — read our guide to menopause after hysterectomy.

If something does not match, call the billing office first and ask for a corrected claim — most errors are fixed at that step. If the office will not correct it, contact your insurer’s member services and file a formal dispute. Keep copies of the operative report, the pathology report, the itemized bill and every letter.

The bottom line

Three facts decide your hysterectomy CPT code: the approach, the uterus weight, and how much tissue was removed. The most common codes are 58150 for an open hysterectomy, 58260 for a vaginal hysterectomy and 58570 for a total laparoscopic hysterectomy — each with its own set of variations for larger uteri, extra procedures and cancer surgery. There is no separate code for a robotic hysterectomy, and the code itself does not set your out-of-pocket cost. Check the code on your bill against your operative report and pathology report, and question anything that does not match: a wrong code is the most fixable billing problem in this whole process.

This article is for general information only and is not medical or billing advice. CPT codes are maintained by the American Medical Association and change from year to year; always confirm the current codes with your surgeon, your insurer, or the current CPT codebook. If you have questions about your own surgery or bill, talk to your surgeon or your insurer’s member services. If you notice heavy bleeding, fever, severe pain or foul-smelling discharge after a hysterectomy, seek urgent medical care.