CPT code 33970: Aortic assist device, open transthoracic insertion2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $314.30 for 33970 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 33970 covers

This service is open placement of an intra-aortic balloon assist device through the chest, with access to the aorta for temporary circulatory support. It is generally performed by a cardiothoracic surgeon in an operating room for a patient who needs mechanical support, often in the setting of severe cardiac dysfunction or cardiac surgery. The approach distinguishes this service from percutaneous balloon-pump insertion.

Report the code for the open transthoracic insertion, supported by an operative report documenting the approach, device placement, and clinical purpose. The 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and 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. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this single aortic device service. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and 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 33970 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

33970 rates by state

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

How the 33970 rate is calculated

Each of 33970’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 33970

The CMS indicators that decide how 33970 is paid alongside other services.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 51

33970 compared with similar codes

How to choose

33967Balloon pump insertionPercutaneous approach

Use 33970 for open transthoracic insertion; use 33967 when insertion is performed percutaneously.

33971Aortic assist removalOpen approach

33970 reports open transthoracic insertion, while 33971 reports removal through that approach.

33973Balloon deviceInsertion

Both concern intra-aortic balloon device insertion, but 33973 represents a different approach; select the code matching the operative approach.

Codes related to 33970

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