CPT code 34715: Arterial exposure, without conduit2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Illinois
Report this add-on for open axillary or subclavian artery access used to deliver an endovascular prosthesis when no conduit is created.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 34715 in Illinois.
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 34715 covers
This code represents surgical exposure of one axillary or subclavian artery through an incision so an endovascular prosthesis delivery system can be introduced. It applies when the access is obtained directly from the artery without creating a conduit. Vascular surgeons commonly perform the exposure in a hybrid operating room during endovascular aortic repair when the planned device cannot be delivered through the usual access route.
Report the access work with an eligible primary endovascular procedure, not as a standalone service. The operative report should identify the exposed artery and side, describe the open access used for device delivery, and establish that no conduit was created. CMS treats this as an add-on paid within the primary procedure’s global period. For bilateral work, modifier 50 is paid at 150%.
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 34715 pays more and less in Illinois
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | Unavailable | $335.05 |
| East St. Louis, IL | Unavailable | $317.69 |
| Rest of Illinois | Unavailable | $295.23 |
| Suburban Chicago, IL | Unavailable | $309.74 |
How the 34715 rate is calculated
Each of 34715’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 · 34715
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work5.85
5.85 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense0.74
0.74 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.48
1.48 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
8.0700
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$269.55
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 34715
The CMS indicators that decide how 34715 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 34715
Arterial exposure, without conduit
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | ZZZ | Add-on code: falls within the primary procedure’s global period. |
| Multiple procedures | 0 | No multiple-procedure reduction. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 1 | Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 2 | Paid. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 2 | Permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
34715 without 50 · national facility
$269.55
Arterial exposure, without conduit
34715-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$404.33
Both sides on one line with modifier 50 are paid at 150% of the fee schedule amount (subject to multiple-procedure rules with other procedures).
34715 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 34716Arterial accessChest incision with conduit
- Both describe open axillary or subclavian access for prosthesis delivery. Choose 34715 when no conduit is created; choose 34716 when the surgeon creates one.
- 34714Femoral accessOpen exposure with conduit
- 34714 describes open femoral artery exposure for device delivery. 34715 is for open axillary or subclavian exposure.
- 34713Femoral accessPercutaneous, large-bore
- 34713 covers percutaneous femoral access and closure. 34715 describes open exposure of an axillary or subclavian artery.
- 33880Thoracic endovascular repairLeft subclavian origin covered
- 33880 reports the primary thoracic endovascular repair; 34715 reports qualifying open upper-extremity access as an add-on.
34715 billing questions
When is 34715 chosen instead of 34716?
Use 34715 when the surgeon exposes the axillary or subclavian artery for device delivery without creating a conduit. Use 34716 when a conduit is created.
Can 34715 be billed by itself?
No. It is an add-on and must be reported with an eligible primary endovascular procedure.
What should the operative note support?
Document the artery and side exposed, the open approach for prosthesis delivery, and whether a conduit was created.
How is bilateral exposure reported?
For bilateral work, report modifier 50; CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.
Is this the same as percutaneous femoral access?
No. 34715 describes open axillary or subclavian exposure; 34713 describes percutaneous femoral access and closure.
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
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