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CPT code 33215: Lead repositioning, pacing-defibrillator lead2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Reports repositioning an implanted pacing-defibrillator lead when displacement or lead position requires correction without replacing the lead.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities2.4K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $275.22 for 33215 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 33215

Lead repositioning, pacing-defibrillator lead

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
4.8
Total RVUs
8.24
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$275.22

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 33215 →Billed by an NP, PA or therapist? →

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

Your location

Medicare pays by the payment locality where the service is performed.

On this page 10 sections
  1. Medicare rate
  2. What 33215 covers
  3. By payment locality
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Similar codes
  8. Related codes
  9. Billing questions
  10. Sources

What 33215 covers

An electrophysiologist or other physician experienced in cardiac device procedures repositions a previously implanted transvenous lead connected to a pacing-defibrillator. The procedure is commonly performed in a hospital electrophysiology lab when a lead has shifted and its position needs correction, such as to restore appropriate sensing or pacing. The physician accesses the lead, adjusts its position, and confirms function before completing the procedure.

Report 33215 for repositioning the existing pacing-defibrillator lead, rather than inserting a new lead or repairing a damaged lead. The operative report should identify the lead and device, explain why its position required correction, and document the repositioning and device assessment. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.

This summary was written with AI assistance from CMS physician fee schedule data and checked against the CMS billing rules shown here. Rates on this page come directly from CMS files.

Where 33215 pays more and less

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

109 of 109 payment localities

33215 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$249.10
AlaskaUnavailable$343.28
ArizonaUnavailable$267.36
ArkansasUnavailable$245.92
Atlanta, GAUnavailable$284.59
Austin, TXUnavailable$275.66
Bakersfield, CAUnavailable$270.76
Baltimore area, MDUnavailable$292.42
Beaumont, TXUnavailable$265.61
Brazoria, TXUnavailable$267.44

33215 rates by state

Office rate range in each state. Select a state to see its payment localities.

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Local rates. Clear comparisons.

Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.

View every state and territory as a table
33215 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AKNo published base rate1
ALNo published base rate1
ARNo published base rate1
AZNo published base rate1
CANo published base rate29
CONo published base rate1
CTNo published base rate1
DCNo published base rate1
DENo published base rate1
FLNo published base rate3
GANo published base rate2
GUNo published base rate1
HINo published base rate1
IANo published base rate1
IDNo published base rate1
ILNo published base rate4
INNo published base rate1
KSNo published base rate1
KYNo published base rate1
LANo published base rate2
MANo published base rate2
MDNo published base rate3
MENo published base rate2
MINo published base rate2
MNNo published base rate1
MONo published base rate3
MSNo published base rate1
MTNo published base rate1
NCNo published base rate1
NDNo published base rate1
NENo published base rate1
NHNo published base rate1
NJNo published base rate2
NMNo published base rate1
NVNo published base rate1
NYNo published base rate5
OHNo published base rate1
OKNo published base rate1
ORNo published base rate2
PANo published base rate2
PRNo published base rate1
RINo published base rate1
SCNo published base rate1
SDNo published base rate1
TNNo published base rate1
TXNo published base rate8
UTNo published base rate1
VANo published base rate2
VINo published base rate1
VTNo published base rate1
WANo published base rate2
WINo published base rate1
WVNo published base rate1
WYNo published base rate1

How the 33215 rate is calculated

Each of 33215’s three RVUs is multiplied by a geographic index (GPCI) for the payment locality, added up, and multiplied by the conversion factor. Drag the indexes or enter a ZIP to see what moves the rate.

How the rate is built · 33215

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work4.80

4.80 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense2.30

2.30 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice1.14

1.14 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

8.2400

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$275.22

Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 33215

33215 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 33215

Lead repositioning, pacing-defibrillator lead

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period090Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included.
Multiple procedures2Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%.
Bilateral (modifier 50)0The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)1Not paid (statutory restriction).
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.09/0.84/0.07Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 33215

Lead repositioning, pacing-defibrillator lead

90-day global period ends

Dec 30, 2026

Covers Sep 30, 2026 through Dec 30, 2026 (92 days, including the day before surgery).

Visit on Oct 31, 2026

Day 30 of the 90-day post-op period: related follow-up care is included in the surgical payment.

  • 24Unrelated E/M visit by the same physician
  • 79Unrelated procedure (starts its own global period)
  • 58Staged, more extensive, or therapy procedure that was planned
  • 78Unplanned return to the operating room for a related complication
SurgeryVisit
Sep 23, 2026Jan 10, 2027

Pre-op dayGlobal period

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

33215 without 51 · national facility

$275.22

Lead repositioning, pacing-defibrillator lead

33215-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$137.61

When this isn’t the highest-valued procedure in the session, Medicare pays 50% of its fee schedule amount (the highest is paid at 100%).

When to use modifier 51

33215 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 33215

    Lead repositioning, pacing-defibrillator lead4.8 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 33226

    LV lead repositioning, previously placed transvenous lead8.46 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 33218

    Lead repair, single lead5.67 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 33216

    ICD lead insertion, single transvenous lead5.48 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

33226LV lead repositioningPreviously placed transvenous lead
33215 is for a pacing-defibrillator lead. Choose 33226 when the repositioned lead is a left ventricular pacing lead.
33218Lead repairSingle lead
33215 corrects lead position; 33218 addresses repair of a pacing-defibrillator lead.
33216ICD lead insertionSingle transvenous lead
33215 repositions an existing pacing-defibrillator lead. 33216 is for insertion of one such lead.

Codes related to 33215

Related codes aren’t interchangeable: bill the code that matches the service performed.

Codes related to 33215
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
33216ICD lead insertion, single transvenous leadInsertion of one pacing-defibrillator lead when a new lead is placed instead of repositioning the existing one.No office rate
33217Lead insertion, two permanent-system electrodesInsertion of two pacing-defibrillator leads, rather than repositioning an existing lead.No office rate
33218Lead repair, single leadRepair of a pacing-defibrillator lead when the service addresses lead damage rather than its position.No office rate
33220Lead repair, two leadsRepair of two pacing-defibrillator leads, distinct from repositioning an existing lead.No office rate
33226LV lead repositioning, previously placed transvenous leadRepositioning a left ventricular pacing lead, rather than a pacing-defibrillator lead.No office rate

33215 billing questions

When should 33215 be chosen instead of 33226?

Use 33215 for repositioning a pacing-defibrillator lead. Code 33226 concerns repositioning a left ventricular pacing lead.

How does repositioning differ from lead repair?

33215 describes correcting the position of an existing lead. Lead repair codes apply when the lead itself requires repair rather than repositioning.

Does 33215 cover insertion of a replacement lead?

No. It describes repositioning the existing lead; insertion of a new pacing-defibrillator lead is a different service.

What documentation supports reporting 33215?

Document the pacing-defibrillator lead involved, the reason its position required correction, the repositioning performed, and the device assessment.

How are other procedures in the same session paid?

Medicare pays the highest-valued procedure in full and applies the standard multiple-procedure reduction to other procedures performed in the same session.

Where these rates come from

FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indexes and the conversion factor. Services without a published rate are labeled, never given a made-up amount. Amounts are Medicare allowed amounts before claim adjustments: not a patient’s bill or a commercial rate.

CMS RVU26D · effective Oct 1, 2026 through the day before Jan 1, 2027

Show the CMS file lines behind this rate
RVUs for 33215PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,844 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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