Reviewed by certified coders + a maternal-fetal medicine physician / Updated for 2026
OB Coding Guide
OB Coding Guide
obcodingguide.com/codes/59510/
Clinical review: Sina Haeri, MD, MHSA (MFM) · Coder review pending · Drafted July 2026
59510 Delivery
CPT 59510

CPT 59510: Global OB Care, Cesarean DeliveryGlobal OB Care, Cesarean Delivery

2027 change This code is scheduled for deletion on January 1, 2027, when CPT unbundles the global maternity package. Current rules apply through 2026 dates of service. See what replaces it →
The short answer

Use 59510 to bill a full pregnancy that ends in a cesarean delivery as one bundle: the antepartum visits, the cesarean itself, and routine postpartum care by one practice. Bill it once, after delivery. If the cesarean followed an attempted VBAC, the code is 59618, which pays slightly more. If the delivery was vaginal, the global code is 59400.

Source: CMSSource: ACOGSource: CMS MPFS 2026

When to use 59510

Report 59510 when a single practice provides the complete arc of care and the delivery route is cesarean, whether scheduled or decided in labor. The route of delivery picks the code family; everything else about global billing works exactly as it does for 59400: one code, submitted after delivery, covering roughly 13 routine antepartum visits, the surgery, and the postpartum window. When care split mid-pregnancy, the same component logic applies with cesarean-flavored pieces: 59514 for the surgery alone, 59515 with postpartum, and the shared antepartum codes 59425 and 59426 by visit count.

59510 vs 59400 vs 59618
59510 · Global, cesarean
  • One practice provided antepartum, cesarean delivery, postpartum
  • Scheduled cesarean, or cesarean decided in labor with no prior uterine scar
  • Repeat cesarean without a trial of labor
  • Billed once, after delivery
The other global codes
  • 59400: same package, vaginal delivery
  • 59618: cesarean after an attempted VBAC, pays more for the labor trial
  • 59610: attempted VBAC that succeeds vaginally
  • Split care: components (59514/59515 + 59425/59426), not a global code

Documentation checklist

Beyond the standard global-package record, a cesarean claim needs the surgical side documented, especially the indication and anyone else at the table.

✓ Antepartum flow sheet with visit dates and count
✓ Operative note with date, indication for cesarean, and technique
✓ Prior cesarean history noted where relevant; a trial of labor first moves the code to 59618
✓ Assistant surgeon documented by name and role when one is billed
✓ Postpartum visits within the payer's global window, including incision checks
✓ Separately billed services tied to distinct diagnoses, not routine care
✓ Transfer date documented if the patient arrived mid-pregnancy

Global package rules

59510 is the global package for the cesarean route. The bundle covers routine care plus the surgery; it does not swallow everything. Obstetric ultrasounds (76805, 76811), fetal non-stress tests (59025), labs, and management of complications beyond routine care all bill separately, as do problem E/M visits with their own diagnoses. Postoperative care for the cesarean itself, including routine incision checks, stays inside. See The Global OB Package, explained. ACOG

Reimbursement

2026 · national Medicare averages
ComponentWork RVUTotal RVU2026 rate
59510Global package41.0574.05$2,473.34

National amounts under the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (non-facility total RVU x $33.4009 conversion factor, no locality/MAC adjustment). Commercial and Medicaid rates differ. Verify current values with your MAC before billing.

Common denials

CO-97 Separate services bundled into the global fee
Why it happens
An E/M visit or a routine postoperative check was billed on top of the package and absorbed by the payer.
How to fix
Bill separate E/M only for distinct problems with their own diagnoses, with modifier 25 or 24 as the situation requires, and appeal with documentation of care beyond the routine bundle.
Source: NCCI
CO-236 Global code billed with component codes
Why it happens
The claim paired 59510 with 59425, 59426, or a delivery code for the same pregnancy.
How to fix
Choose one structure. Global when one practice provided everything; components when care changed hands. Remove the conflicting lines.
Source: NCCI
CO-50 Too few antepartum visits for global billing
Why it happens
The patient transferred in late, and the visit count could not support the full package.
How to fix
Bill components: the antepartum code for your visit count (E/M for 1–3, 59425 for 4–6, 59426 for 7+) plus 59514 or 59515 for the delivery side.
Source: ACOG
CO-54 Assistant surgeon not payable
Why it happens
The payer denied the assistant line because the claim lacked modifier 80 or 82 or the payer restricts assistants for cesarean delivery.
How to fix
Resubmit the assistant's claim with the correct assistant modifier and documentation of medical necessity; check the payer's assistant-at-surgery policy for cesarean codes first.
Source: CMS
CO-119 Global fee already paid to another practice
Why it happens
Two practices billed global codes for one pregnancy after a mid-course transfer.
How to fix
Split it: the delivering practice bills the cesarean components, the transferring practice bills antepartum-only codes for its documented visits.
Source: CMS

FAQ

What is the CPT code description for 59510?
In plain language, 59510 covers complete routine obstetric care ending in a cesarean delivery: the antepartum visits, the cesarean surgery, and routine postpartum care, billed as a single package by one practice.
Does it matter whether the cesarean was scheduled or done in labor?
Not for code choice, with one exception. Any cesarean without a documented trial of labor after a prior cesarean is 59510. If the patient attempted a VBAC first, the code becomes 59618.
Can an assistant surgeon bill on a cesarean?
Often, yes. The assistant reports the surgical code with modifier 80, or 82 in teaching settings, and payment runs a small percentage of the surgical fee. Payer policies on when an assistant is payable for cesareans vary, so verify first.
How are cesarean twins billed?
One incision, one surgery: most payers pay a single 59510 for twins delivered by cesarean, sometimes with modifier 22 and documentation of the added work. This differs from vaginal twins, where the second baby gets a delivery-only code.
What stays billable outside the 59510 bundle?
Ultrasounds, non-stress tests, labs, and E/M visits for distinct problems such as hypertension or gestational diabetes. Routine incision checks and scheduled postpartum visits stay inside.
The patient transferred in at 35 weeks for a scheduled cesarean. Can I bill 59510?
Usually not. With a handful of visits before delivery, bill the components: 59515 for the cesarean plus postpartum, and E/M or 59425 for the antepartum visits you provided.
CPT® is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association. Educational reference only, not billing, legal, or medical advice. Maintained by Ouma Health, a maternal-fetal telemedicine practice. Printed from obcodingguide.com, content current as of July 2026.