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CPT code 33979: Ventricular assist device, implantable, single ventricle2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Reports surgical placement of an implantable intracorporeal ventricular assist device configured to support one ventricle, commonly for advanced heart failure.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities901 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $1,768.58 for 33979 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 33979

Ventricular assist device, implantable, single ventricle

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
36.56
Total RVUs
52.95
Global days
XXX

National rate · 2026

$1,768.58

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 33979 →Billed by an NP, PA or therapist? →

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

Your location

Medicare pays by the payment locality where the service is performed.

On this page 10 sections
  1. Medicare rate
  2. What 33979 covers
  3. By payment locality
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Similar codes
  8. Related codes
  9. Billing questions
  10. Sources

What 33979 covers

This code describes surgical implantation of an intracorporeal ventricular assist device to support one ventricle. Cardiothoracic surgeons typically perform the operation in a hospital operating room for patients with advanced heart failure who need mechanical circulatory support, such as as a bridge to transplant or longer-term therapy. The operative record should establish that the device is implantable and intracorporeal and identify the ventricle supported.

Select this code for the implanted, single-ventricle configuration; extracorporeal devices and percutaneous catheter-delivered support use different codes. Documentation should describe the device placement and whether support is for one ventricle or both. When multiple procedures subject to the CMS multiple procedure reduction are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others are paid at 50%.

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 33979 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

33979 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$1,607.16
AlaskaUnavailable$2,260.05
ArizonaUnavailable$1,717.60
ArkansasUnavailable$1,587.86
Atlanta, GAUnavailable$1,836.67
Austin, TXUnavailable$1,751.01
Bakersfield, CAUnavailable$1,697.77
Baltimore area, MDUnavailable$1,877.43
Beaumont, TXUnavailable$1,725.03
Brazoria, TXUnavailable$1,709.92

33979 rates by state

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

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Local rates. Clear comparisons.

Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.

View every state and territory as a table
33979 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AKNo published base rate1
ALNo published base rate1
ARNo published base rate1
AZNo published base rate1
CANo published base rate29
CONo published base rate1
CTNo published base rate1
DCNo published base rate1
DENo published base rate1
FLNo published base rate3
GANo published base rate2
GUNo published base rate1
HINo published base rate1
IANo published base rate1
IDNo published base rate1
ILNo published base rate4
INNo published base rate1
KSNo published base rate1
KYNo published base rate1
LANo published base rate2
MANo published base rate2
MDNo published base rate3
MENo published base rate2
MINo published base rate2
MNNo published base rate1
MONo published base rate3
MSNo published base rate1
MTNo published base rate1
NCNo published base rate1
NDNo published base rate1
NENo published base rate1
NHNo published base rate1
NJNo published base rate2
NMNo published base rate1
NVNo published base rate1
NYNo published base rate5
OHNo published base rate1
OKNo published base rate1
ORNo published base rate2
PANo published base rate2
PRNo published base rate1
RINo published base rate1
SCNo published base rate1
SDNo published base rate1
TNNo published base rate1
TXNo published base rate8
UTNo published base rate1
VANo published base rate2
VINo published base rate1
VTNo published base rate1
WANo published base rate2
WINo published base rate1
WVNo published base rate1
WYNo published base rate1

How the 33979 rate is calculated

Each of 33979’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 · 33979

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work36.56

36.56 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense7.38

7.38 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice9.01

9.01 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

52.9500

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$1,768.58

Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 33979

The CMS indicators that decide how 33979 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 33979

Ventricular assist device, implantable, single ventricle

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global periodXXXThe global surgery concept doesn’t apply.
Multiple procedures2Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%.
Bilateral (modifier 50)0The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)2Paid.
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

33979 without 51 · national facility

$1,768.58

Ventricular assist device, implantable, single ventricle

33979-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$884.29

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%).

When to use modifier 51

33979 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

5 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 33979

    Ventricular assist device, implantable, single ventricle36.56 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 33975

    Ventricular assist device, extracorporeal, biventricular24.38 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 33976

    Ventricular assist device, extracorporeal, both ventricles29.98 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 33990

    VAD insertion, left heart, arterial access6.58 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 33980

    VAD removal, implantable, single ventricle32.66 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

33975Ventricular assist deviceExtracorporeal, biventricular
Use 33979 for an implantable intracorporeal device supporting one ventricle; 33975 describes an extracorporeal single-ventricle device.
33976Ventricular assist deviceExtracorporeal, both ventricles
33976 describes an extracorporeal device configured for biventricular support. 33979 is for an implantable intracorporeal device supporting one ventricle.
33990VAD insertionLeft heart, arterial access
33990 describes percutaneous insertion of a left-heart assist device through arterial access, rather than surgical implantation of an intracorporeal device.
33980VAD removalImplantable, single ventricle
33980 describes removal of an implantable intracorporeal assist device; 33979 reports its insertion.

Codes related to 33979

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

Codes related to 33979
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
33975Ventricular assist device, extracorporeal, biventricularInsertion of an extracorporeal assist device for single-ventricle support.No office rate
33976Ventricular assist device, extracorporeal, both ventriclesInsertion of an extracorporeal assist device configured for biventricular support.No office rate
33990VAD insertion, left heart, arterial accessPercutaneous left-heart assist device insertion using arterial access.No office rate
33991VAD insertion, left heart, arterial and venous accessPercutaneous left-heart assist device insertion using arterial and venous access.No office rate

33979 billing questions

When should 33979 be selected?

Use it for surgical implantation of an intracorporeal assist device configured to support one ventricle. The operative report should support the implantable device type and single-ventricle configuration.

How does 33979 differ from 33975 or 33976?

33979 describes an implantable intracorporeal device. Codes 33975 and 33976 describe extracorporeal devices, with the latter supporting both ventricles.

How does 33979 differ from 33990 or 33991?

33979 is for surgical implantation of an intracorporeal device. Codes 33990 and 33991 describe percutaneous left-heart assist device insertion using different access configurations.

Should 33979 be used for device removal or pump replacement?

No. Code 33980 describes removal of an implantable intracorporeal device, while 33982 and 33983 describe pump replacement procedures.

How is 33979 paid when other procedures occur in the same session?

Under the CMS multiple procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the other procedures are paid at 50%.

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

Show the CMS file lines behind this rate
RVUs for 33979PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 4,163 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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