CPT code 33273: S-ICD electrode, previously implanted electrode2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $359.06 for 33273 nationally in a facility.

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

What 33273 covers

This procedure revises the position of an electrode already implanted beneath the skin as part of a subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (S-ICD) system. It is typically performed by a cardiac electrophysiologist or cardiac surgeon in a hospital operating room or electrophysiology setting. The electrode remains subcutaneous; this is not repositioning of a transvenous lead inside the heart or blood vessels. A common clinical reason is electrode migration or a position that requires correction.

Report 33273 when the operative service moves the existing S-ICD electrode to a revised position. Documentation should identify the implanted electrode, describe why repositioning was needed, and record the work performed and resulting position. The code has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 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% multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. 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 33273 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

33273 rates by state

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

How the 33273 rate is calculated

Each of 33273’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.

Payment rules and modifiers for 33273

33273 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 51

33273 compared with similar codes

How to choose

33270Defibrillator implantSubcutaneous system

Use 33270 for insertion or replacement of the S-ICD system. Use 33273 when the service revises the position of an electrode that is already implanted.

33271Defibrillator electrodeSubcutaneous implantable system

33271 describes insertion of an S-ICD electrode. It does not describe moving an existing electrode to a revised position.

33272Defibrillator removalSubcutaneous system

33272 describes removal of the S-ICD pulse generator; 33273 describes repositioning the implanted electrode.

Codes related to 33273

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

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

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates