CPT code 33886: Aortic extension, delayed distal placement2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $960.61 for 33886 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 33886 covers

This service extends a prior endovascular repair of the descending thoracic aorta by placing a prosthesis distally, toward the lower thoracic aorta. A vascular or cardiothoracic surgeon typically performs the catheter-based procedure in a hospital operating or endovascular suite using fluoroscopic imaging. It is distinct from placing the original thoracic endograft and from adding an extension at the proximal end.

Report the code when the operative record supports delayed distal extension placement after an earlier thoracic endovascular repair. Documentation should identify the prior repair, the reason for the later intervention, and the distal extension performed. Procedural imaging supervision and interpretation are included in the service. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery and co-surgeon services may be paid; team surgery is 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 33886 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

33886 rates by state

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

How the 33886 rate is calculated

Each of 33886’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 33886

33886 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

33886 compared with similar codes

How to choose

33883Aortic extensionDelayed, proximal placement

Use 33883 for delayed placement of a proximal extension. This code describes a delayed distal extension.

33880Thoracic endovascular repairLeft subclavian origin covered

Code 33880 describes initial descending thoracic endovascular repair involving coverage of the left subclavian artery origin; this code describes a later distal extension.

33881Thoracic endograftLeft subclavian origin spared

Code 33881 describes initial descending thoracic endovascular repair without left subclavian artery origin coverage; this code describes a later distal extension.

33882Thoracic endograftMultiple-component prosthesis

Code 33882 describes thoracic endovascular repair involving multiple prosthesis components, while this code is for delayed distal extension placement.

Codes related to 33886

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