CPT code 35510: Arterial bypass, carotid to brachial2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $1,118.60 for 35510 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 35510 covers

Code 35510 describes an open operation that routes blood from a carotid artery to a brachial artery through a bypass graft. Vascular surgeons typically perform it in a hospital operating room for selected patients with serious arm ischemia when the usual proximal arterial inflow is unsuitable. The operative report should identify the inflow and outflow arteries, side, graft route and conduit, and the reason for the reconstruction.

Select this code when the bypass connects the carotid and brachial arteries; a bypass between different named vessels belongs to the code matching those sites. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeons require 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 35510 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

35510 rates by state

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

How the 35510 rate is calculated

Each of 35510’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 35510

35510 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 50

35510 compared with similar codes

How to choose

35512Arterial bypassSubclavian-to-brachial route

35512 is for a bypass from the subclavian artery to the brachial artery. Choose 35510 when the bypass originates from a carotid artery.

35522Arterial bypassAxillary to brachial

35522 describes an axillary-to-brachial bypass. The distal brachial endpoint is shared, but the inflow vessel differs from 35510.

35501Carotid bypassIpsilateral carotid-to-carotid

35501 describes a carotid bypass with a different distal target. Use 35510 only when the brachial artery is the outflow vessel.

Codes related to 35510

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