CPT code 33970: Aortic assist device, open transthoracic insertion2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Maryland
Reports open placement of an intra-aortic balloon assist device through a transthoracic approach to provide temporary circulatory support.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 33970 in Maryland.
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 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 in Maryland
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore area, MD | Unavailable | $333.34 |
| Rest of Maryland | Unavailable | $312.71 |
| Washington, DC area | Unavailable | $339.63 |
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.
How the rate is built · 33970
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work6.57
6.57 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense1.27
1.27 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.57
1.57 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
9.4100
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$314.30
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 33970
The CMS indicators that decide how 33970 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 33970
Aortic assist device, open transthoracic insertion
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 000 | Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is 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) | 2 | Paid. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
33970 without 51 · national facility
$314.30
Aortic assist device, open transthoracic insertion
33970-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$157.15
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%).
33970 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
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.
33970 billing questions
How is this different from 33967?
33970 describes open placement through a transthoracic approach. 33967 is the percutaneous insertion code.
Is removal included in this code?
No. Removal is a separate service; 33971 describes removal through the open transthoracic approach.
Should modifier 50 be appended?
No. The service concerns placement of one aortic assist device, so modifier 50 is inappropriate.
How are other procedures in the same session paid?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full; other procedures in the session are subject to the standard multiple procedure reduction.
What documentation supports reporting 33970?
The operative report should identify the open transthoracic approach, placement of the intra-aortic balloon assist device, and the reason circulatory support was needed.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; team surgery is not permitted.
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
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