CPT code 35539: Aortic bypass, single femoral target, vein conduit2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $1,988.69 for 35539 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 35539 covers

A vascular surgeon routes a vein graft from the aorta to a femoral artery to bypass obstructed inflow and improve blood supply to one lower extremity. The operation is generally performed in a hospital operating room for significant aortoiliac occlusive disease, such as ischemia associated with rest pain or tissue loss. The operative report should establish the aortic origin, the single femoral outflow target, and use of a vein conduit.

Select this code when the documented reconstruction has one femoral target; an aortic reconstruction with two femoral outflows is distinguished by code 35540. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during the following 90 days. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures at 50%. CMS lists bilateral reporting with modifier 50 at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be allowed; 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 35539 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

35539 rates by state

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

How the 35539 rate is calculated

Each of 35539’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 35539

35539 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

35539 compared with similar codes

How to choose

35540Aortic bypassAutogenous vein conduit

Use 35540 when the aortic reconstruction supplies both femoral arteries. Code 35539 describes a single femoral outflow target.

35537Aortoiliac bypassVein conduit, iliac outflow

35537 ends at an iliac artery; 35539 ends at a femoral artery. Follow the documented distal target.

35538Aortic bypassAorta to both iliac arteries

35538 supplies both iliac arteries from the aorta. It is distinct from the single femoral outflow described by 35539.

35521Arterial bypassAxillary-to-femoral, vein conduit

35521 uses axillary inflow for a femoral target, rather than the aortic inflow used for 35539.

Codes related to 35539

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