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CPT code 33980: VAD removal, implantable, single ventricle2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Removal of an implanted intracorporeal ventricular assist device supporting one ventricle, such as during heart transplantation or when the device is no longer needed.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities189 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $1,636.31 for 33980 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 33980

VAD removal, implantable, single ventricle

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
32.66
Total RVUs
48.99
Global days
XXX

National rate · 2026

$1,636.31

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 33980 →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 33980 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 33980 covers

CPT 33980 covers surgical removal of an implantable ventricular assist device located within the body and supporting a single ventricle. A cardiothoracic surgeon typically performs the procedure in an operating room. A common clinical situation is removal of the device during heart transplantation; removal may also be needed when the patient no longer requires mechanical support or the device must be taken out for a clinical reason.

Report the code for removal of the intracorporeal device, not for its initial placement or replacement of a pump while retaining the device. The operative report should establish the device’s implantable, intracorporeal configuration, single-ventricle support, and the removal performed. When multiple procedures occur during the same session, Medicare pays the highest-valued procedure in full and applies the standard multiple-procedure reduction to the others: they 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 33980 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

33980 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$1,484.84
AlaskaUnavailable$2,078.65
ArizonaUnavailable$1,588.94
ArkansasUnavailable$1,466.68
Atlanta, GAUnavailable$1,698.18
Austin, TXUnavailable$1,623.77
Bakersfield, CAUnavailable$1,578.13
Baltimore area, MDUnavailable$1,737.79
Beaumont, TXUnavailable$1,592.34
Brazoria, TXUnavailable$1,583.25

33980 rates by state

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

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Explore a state

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
33980 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 33980 rate is calculated

Each of 33980’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 · 33980

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work32.66

32.66 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense8.26

8.26 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice8.07

8.07 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

48.9900

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$1,636.31

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 33980

The CMS indicators that decide how 33980 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 33980

VAD removal, 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

33980 without 51 · national facility

$1,636.31

VAD removal, implantable, single ventricle

33980-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$818.16

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

33980 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 33980

    VAD removal, implantable, single ventricle32.66 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 33979

    Ventricular assist device, implantable, single ventricle36.56 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 33977

    VAD removal, extracorporeal, single ventricle20.34 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 33982

    VAD pump replacement, intracorporeal, without bypass36.91 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

33979Ventricular assist deviceImplantable, single ventricle
33979 is for insertion of an implantable intracorporeal device supporting one ventricle. Choose 33980 for removal of that type of device.
33977VAD removalExtracorporeal, single ventricle
33977 describes removal of an extracorporeal device supporting one ventricle; 33980 is for an implantable intracorporeal device.
33982VAD pump replacementIntracorporeal, without bypass
33982 describes pump replacement while the intracorporeal device is retained, without cardiopulmonary bypass. 33980 describes device removal.

Codes related to 33980

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

Codes related to 33980
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
33977VAD removal, extracorporeal, single ventricleRemoval code for an extracorporeal ventricular assist device supporting one ventricle.No office rate
33978VAD removal, extracorporeal, single ventricleRemoval code for an extracorporeal ventricular assist device supporting both ventricles.No office rate
33982VAD pump replacement, intracorporeal, without bypassPump replacement when an intracorporeal device is retained and replacement is performed without cardiopulmonary bypass.No office rate
33983VAD pump replacement, intracorporeal, with bypassPump replacement when an intracorporeal device is retained and replacement is performed with cardiopulmonary bypass.No office rate

33980 billing questions

How does 33980 differ from 33977 or 33978?

33980 is for removal of an implantable intracorporeal device supporting one ventricle. Codes 33977 and 33978 describe removal of extracorporeal devices, with the applicable code depending on the device configuration.

Can 33980 be reported for pump replacement?

Use a pump-replacement code when the pump is replaced and the implanted device is retained. 33980 describes removal of the intracorporeal device, rather than replacement of a pump alone.

What documentation supports reporting 33980?

The operative report should identify the implanted intracorporeal device, its single-ventricle support, and the removal performed. Include the clinical circumstance prompting removal.

How does Medicare handle other procedures in the same session?

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

Is 33980 the code for placing an intracorporeal VAD?

No. Code 33979 describes insertion of an implantable intracorporeal ventricular assist device supporting one ventricle; 33980 describes removal.

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 33980PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 4,164 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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