CPT code 35522: Arterial bypass, axillary to brachial2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $1,064.49 for 35522 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 35522 covers

A vascular surgeon creates a vein-graft route from the axillary artery to the brachial artery to restore blood flow to the arm when disease obstructs the native arterial pathway. The operation is generally performed in a hospital or other surgical facility for patients with upper-extremity ischemia from arterial occlusive disease. The documented inflow and outflow sites distinguish this operation from bypasses beginning at the subclavian artery or ending in the forearm.

Report the code for the axillary-to-brachial bypass, documenting the side, target vessels, conduit, indication, and operative work. A separately performed vein harvest may be reported with 35500 when applicable. The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included. For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 identifies bilateral work and is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made; 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 35522 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

35522 rates by state

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

How the 35522 rate is calculated

Each of 35522’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 35522

35522 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

35522 compared with similar codes

How to choose

35512Arterial bypassSubclavian-to-brachial route

Choose 35522 when the graft runs from the axillary artery to the brachial artery. Choose 35512 when it runs from the subclavian artery to the brachial artery.

35516Arterial bypassSubclavian to axillary

35516 describes a subclavian-to-axillary bypass; 35522 has the brachial artery as its outflow target.

35518Arterial bypassAxillary to axillary

35518 connects axillary arteries across the body, while 35522 connects an axillary artery to a brachial artery.

35523Arterial bypassBrachial to ulnar or radial

35523 is for a bypass involving the brachial and radial or ulnar arteries in the forearm, rather than an axillary-to-brachial route.

Codes related to 35522

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