CPT code 33511: Coronary bypass, two venous grafts2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in California

CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 33511 in California.

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

What 33511 covers

This code describes coronary artery bypass surgery in which vein is used to create two bypasses around obstructed coronary arteries. The surgeon typically uses saphenous vein harvested from the leg and performs the bypass during open-heart surgery in a hospital operating room. The operative report should identify the bypassed coronary targets and the conduit used for each. If vein is harvested endoscopically, the harvest service may be reported separately with 33508 when supported by the operative documentation.

Select the code by the number of coronary bypasses performed with venous grafts; do not base the count solely on how much vein was harvested. This major surgery has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. The graft count is not a bilateral service, so modifier 50 is inappropriate. An assistant at surgery may be paid; 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 33511 pays more and less in California

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

29 of 29 payment localities

How the 33511 rate is calculated

Each of 33511’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 33511

33511 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

33511 compared with similar codes

How to choose

33510Coronary bypassSingle vein graft

Use 33510 when one coronary bypass uses vein; 33511 represents two venous bypasses.

33512Coronary bypassThree venous grafts

Use 33512 when three coronary bypasses use vein; 33511 represents two.

33518CABG graftsTwo venous grafts

33518 represents two venous grafts in a CABG that also uses an arterial graft and is reported with an arterial CABG code. Use 33511 for two venous bypasses without that mixed-conduit structure.

33533Arterial CABGSingle arterial graft

33533 represents a single arterial bypass. It is not the code for two venous bypasses reported with 33511.

Codes related to 33511

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