CPT code 33271: Defibrillator electrode, subcutaneous implantable system2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Michigan
Reports placement of a subcutaneous implantable defibrillator electrode when the electrode is inserted separately from a complete system implantation.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 33271 in Michigan.
Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.
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What 33271 covers
An electrophysiologist or other qualified cardiac surgeon places the defibrillator electrode beneath the skin, commonly along the sternum, for a subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator system. The electrode may be placed as a distinct or staged procedure rather than as part of implanting the complete system. This is typically performed in a hospital or other procedural facility; it is not the code for implanting the pulse generator and electrode together as a complete system.
Report 33271 for the electrode insertion itself, and document the subcutaneous electrode placement and whether a generator was implanted during the same procedure. The 90-day global includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during that period. When other procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this anatomy and service. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code; 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 33271 pays more and less in Michigan
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit, MI | Unavailable | $442.63 |
| Rest of Michigan | Unavailable | $404.69 |
How the 33271 rate is calculated
Each of 33271’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 · 33271
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work7.31
7.31 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense3.10
3.10 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.75
1.75 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
12.1600
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$406.15
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 33271
33271 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 33271
Defibrillator electrode, subcutaneous implantable system
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 090 | Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included. |
| Multiple procedures | 2 | Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 1 | Not paid (statutory restriction). |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.09/0.84/0.07 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 33271
Defibrillator electrode, subcutaneous implantable system
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.
Pre-op dayGlobal period
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
33271 without 51 · national facility
$406.15
Defibrillator electrode, subcutaneous implantable system
33271-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$203.08
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%).
33271 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 33270Defibrillator implantSubcutaneous system
- Choose 33271 for insertion of the electrode separately; choose 33270 when the procedure implants or replaces the complete subcutaneous system, including the pulse generator.
- 33272Defibrillator removalSubcutaneous system
- 33272 describes removal of a subcutaneous defibrillator electrode. It does not describe placing a new electrode.
- 33273S-ICD electrodePreviously implanted electrode
- 33273 describes repositioning an electrode that is already implanted; 33271 reports electrode insertion.
- 33262Defibrillator exchangeSingle-lead system
- 33262 concerns pulse-generator removal and replacement for a one-lead defibrillator system. It is not the code for inserting a subcutaneous defibrillator electrode.
33271 billing questions
How is 33271 different from 33270?
33271 reports insertion of the subcutaneous defibrillator electrode separately. Use 33270 when the procedure implants or replaces the complete subcutaneous defibrillator system, including its electrode and pulse generator.
Does 33271 include pulse-generator placement?
No. The service represented by 33271 is electrode insertion; 33270 describes implantation or replacement of the complete system, including the generator.
What documentation supports 33271?
Document the electrode insertion, its subcutaneous placement, and whether a pulse generator was implanted during the procedure. The record should distinguish an electrode-only procedure from complete system implantation.
Can modifier 50 be used for bilateral electrode insertion?
No. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code because the descriptor and anatomy do not support bilateral reporting.
Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be reported?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for 33271, and co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during the 90 days after surgery.
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
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