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CPT code 36216: Arterial catheterization, second-order branch2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in King County, WA

Reports selective catheter placement into a second-order thoracic or brachiocephalic arterial branch during a diagnostic or interventional vascular procedure.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026One payment locality2.5K Medicare services in 2024

In King County, WA, Medicare pays $1,279.93 for 36216 in the office and $252.90 when it’s performed in a hospital or facility.

$1,279.93Office (non-facility)
$252.90Hospital or facility
+18.5%vs the national office rate ($1,080.52)

Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 36216 nationwide

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

We’ll open 36216 for the payment locality that covers the ZIP.

On this page 11 sections
  1. Rate in King County, WA
  2. What 36216 covers
  3. Compared with other areas
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Related codes
  8. Rate history
  9. Where it applies
  10. Billing questions
  11. Sources

What 36216 covers

A physician advances a catheter through an arterial route into a second-order branch in the thoracic or brachiocephalic arterial distribution. This selective positioning may support angiography or an endovascular procedure, commonly in a hospital catheterization or angiography suite. Interventional radiologists, vascular surgeons, and other physicians performing catheter-based vascular services may report the placement when the documented catheter path reaches this branch level.

Choose the code from the vessel hierarchy and the catheter tip’s destination, not from the number of imaging runs or the clinical diagnosis. The record should identify the access route, vessels traversed, target branch, and related imaging or intervention. The procedure has a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When multiple procedures occur in one session, CMS pays the highest-valued procedure in full and reduces others under its standard multiple procedure rule. Modifier 50 is inappropriate; assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted, and co-surgeon and team-surgery billing are 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.

How King County, WA compares for 36216

Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the office rate for 36216 runs from $939.39 in Arkansas to $1,466.92 in San Benito County, CA. King County, WA pays $1,279.93. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.

36216 in King County, WA vs other payment areas
  1. King County, WA · this page$1,279.93
  2. Rest of Washington · Washington$1,119.90−$160.03
  3. Los Angeles, CA · California$1,234.29−$45.64
  4. Washington, DC area · District of Columbia$1,249.11−$30.82
  5. Miami, FL · Florida$1,173.94−$105.99
  6. Chicago, IL · Illinois$1,134.95−$144.98
  7. Manhattan, NY · New York$1,254.74−$25.19

Other areas in Washington first, then benchmark localities. Bars start at $0.

Every other payment area

36216 in every other Medicare payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlaskaAlaska$1,206.03$314.60
AlabamaAlabama$955.25$222.85
ArkansasArkansas$939.39$220.38
ArizonaArizona$1,048.08$237.00
Bakersfield, CACalifornia$1,152.65$235.27
Chico, CACalifornia$1,149.55$232.17
El Centro, CACalifornia$1,149.74$232.36
Fresno, CACalifornia$1,149.55$232.17

36216 rates by state

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

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

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.

$939.39

$1,308.24

Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.

View every state and territory as a table
36216 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$1,206.031
AL$955.251
AR$939.391
AZ$1,048.081
CA$1,149.55–$1,466.9229
CO$1,130.061
CT$1,158.951
DC$1,249.111
DE$1,067.111
FL$1,061.18–$1,173.943
GA$993.69–$1,102.562
GU$1,183.971
HI$1,183.971
IA$983.721
ID$990.941
IL$1,025.98–$1,134.954
IN$997.531
KS$978.171
KY$980.621
LA$978.76–$1,034.262
MA$1,121.77–$1,252.402
MD$1,089.59–$1,249.113
ME$996.56–$1,058.752
MI$1,009.60–$1,075.922
MN$1,079.211
MO$959.33–$1,038.783
MS$949.591
MT$1,080.441
NC$1,008.531
ND$1,058.101
NE$989.971
NH$1,111.521
NJ$1,171.19–$1,233.282
NM$1,015.801
NV$1,075.091
NY$1,025.75–$1,288.495
OH$1,005.041
OK$978.901
OR$1,065.83–$1,170.302
PA$1,007.01–$1,126.612
PR$1,089.541
RI$1,108.451
SC$1,008.651
SD$1,055.461
TN$983.771
TX$999.44–$1,127.088
UT$1,024.401
VA$1,054.61–$1,249.112
VI$1,089.541
VT$1,053.161
WA$1,119.90–$1,279.932
WI$1,017.811
WV$982.671
WY$1,070.711

See 36216 in every payment locality

How the 36216 rate is calculated

Each of 36216’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 · 36216

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work5.14

5.14 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense26.08

26.08 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice1.13

1.13 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

32.3500

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$1,080.52

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

The exact King County, WA inputs and CMS source lines

PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv

4,444

Code
36216
Physician work
5.14
Practice expense
26.08
Malpractice
1.13

GPCI2026.csv

108

Locality
King County, WA
Physician work
1.050
Practice expense
1.227
Malpractice
0.817
Office calculation for 36216 in King County, WA
ComponentRVULocality factorAdjusted
Physician work5.14× 1.0505.3970
Practice expense26.08× 1.22732.0002
Malpractice1.13× 0.8170.9232
Total RVUs38.3204
Conversion factor× 33.4009

Office rate, King County, WA$1279.93

Office: (5.14 × 1.05 + 26.08 × 1.227 + 1.13 × 0.817) × $33.4009 = $1279.93

Facility: (5.14 × 1.05 + 1.02 × 1.227 + 1.13 × 0.817) × $33.4009 = $252.90

Open 36216 in the RVU calculator

Payment rules and modifiers for 36216

The CMS indicators that decide how 36216 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 36216

Arterial catheterization, second-order branch

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period000Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is included.
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)1Not paid (statutory restriction).
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

36216 without 51 · national office

$1,080.52

Arterial catheterization, second-order branch

36216-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$540.26

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

Codes related to 36216

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

Codes related to 36216
CodeHow it relatesOffice range, King County, WA
Same family
36215Arterial catheterization, first-order thoracic branchSibling code for selective catheter placement at the first-order branch level.$1,273.16
36217Arterial catheterization, third order or higherSibling code for a third-order or more selective branch placement.$2,367.36
Add-on codes
36218Arterial catheterization, additional branch in same familyAdd-on code for each additional qualifying second-order or more selective branch.$273.29
Used instead
36222Carotid angiography, common carotid, extracranialCervicocerebral angiography code that includes catheter placement for its defined service.$1,497.08

How 36216 has changed in King County, WA

36216 · Office / nonfacility

$1279.93

Effective 2026-10-01

The base rate is $109.44 higher than on 2025-10-01, moving from $1170.49 to $1279.93 (9.3%).

It is unchanged from the immediately preceding available release, effective 2026-07-01.

Base rate by release · bars start at $0 · select a bar to compare

One bar per available release, ordered by effective date. Missing rates remain gaps. These comparisons hold the code, setting and locality identifiers constant; they do not isolate which policy or input caused a change.

What changed, release by release

  1. January 1, 2026

    RVU26A

    $1170.49changed to$1279.93

    • Conversion factor 32.3465 changed to 33.4009
    • Work RVU 5.27 changed to 5.14
    • Practice expense RVU 24.40 changed to 26.08
    • Malpractice RVU 1.08 changed to 1.13
    • Work GPCI 1.043 changed to 1.050
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.220 changed to 1.227
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.853 changed to 0.817

    Held through RVU26B, RVU26C, RVU26D.

  2. January 1, 2025

    RVU25A

    $1233.25changed to$1170.49

    • Conversion factor 33.2875 changed to 32.3465
    • Practice expense RVU 25.10 changed to 24.40
    • Malpractice RVU 1.09 changed to 1.08

    Held through RVU25B, RVU25C, RVU25D.

  3. March 9, 2024

    RVU24AR

    $1213.12changed to$1233.25

    • Conversion factor 32.7442 changed to 33.2875

    Held through RVU24B, RVU24C, RVU24D.

  4. January 1, 2024

    RVU24A

    $1264.21changed to$1213.12

    • Conversion factor 33.8872 changed to 32.7442
    • Practice expense RVU 25.69 changed to 25.10
    • Malpractice RVU 1.01 changed to 1.09
    • Work GPCI 1.039 changed to 1.043
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.207 changed to 1.220
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.815 changed to 0.853

  5. January 1, 2023

    RVU23A

    $1313.95changed to$1264.21

    • Conversion factor 34.6062 changed to 33.8872
    • Practice expense RVU 26.59 changed to 25.69
    • Malpractice RVU 0.98 changed to 1.01
    • Work GPCI 1.036 changed to 1.039
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.194 changed to 1.207
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.776 changed to 0.815

    Held through RVU23B, RVU23C, RVU23D.

  6. January 1, 2022

    RVU22A

    $1381.53changed to$1313.95

    • Conversion factor 34.8931 changed to 34.6062
    • Practice expense RVU 27.97 changed to 26.59
    • Malpractice RVU 0.95 changed to 0.98

    Held through RVU22B, RVU22C, RVU22D.

  7. January 1, 2021

    RVU21A

    $1337.99changed to$1381.53

    • Conversion factor 36.0896 changed to 34.8931
    • Practice expense RVU 26.35 changed to 27.97
    • Work GPCI 1.031 changed to 1.036
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.170 changed to 1.194
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.854 changed to 0.776

    Held through RVU21B, RVU21C, RVU21D.

  8. January 1, 2020

    RVU20A

    $1278.21changed to$1337.99

    • Conversion factor 36.0391 changed to 36.0896
    • Practice expense RVU 25.43 changed to 26.35
    • Malpractice RVU 0.98 changed to 0.95
    • Work GPCI 1.027 changed to 1.031
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.146 changed to 1.170
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.931 changed to 0.854

    Held through RVU20B, RVU20C, RVU20D.

  9. January 1, 2019

    RVU19A

    $1251.31changed to$1278.21

    • Conversion factor 35.9996 changed to 36.0391
    • Practice expense RVU 24.82 changed to 25.43
    • Malpractice RVU 0.97 changed to 0.98

    Held through RVU19B, RVU19C, RVU19D.

  10. January 1, 2018

    RVU18AR1

    $1320.81changed to$1251.31

    • Conversion factor 35.8887 changed to 35.9996
    • Practice expense RVU 26.67 changed to 24.82
    • Malpractice RVU 0.98 changed to 0.97
    • Work GPCI 1.026 changed to 1.027
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.151 changed to 1.146
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.713 changed to 0.931

    Held through RVU18B, RVU18C, RVU18D.

  11. January 1, 2017

    RVU17A

    $1356.75changed to$1320.81

    • Conversion factor 35.8043 changed to 35.8887
    • Practice expense RVU 27.69 changed to 26.67
    • Malpractice RVU 1.03 changed to 0.98
    • Work GPCI 1.025 changed to 1.026
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.155 changed to 1.151
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.495 changed to 0.713

    Held through RVU17B, RVU17C, RVU17D.

  12. January 1, 2016

    RVU16A

    $1334.85changed to$1356.75

    • Conversion factor 35.9335 changed to 35.8043
    • Practice expense RVU 27.04 changed to 27.69
    • Malpractice RVU 1.04 changed to 1.03

    Held through RVU16B, RVU16C, RVU16D.

  13. July 1, 2015

    RVU15C

    $1328.21changed to$1334.85

    • Conversion factor 35.7547 changed to 35.9335

    Held through RVU15D.

  14. January 1, 2015

    RVU15A

    $1415.07changed to$1328.21

    • Conversion factor 35.8228 changed to 35.7547
    • Practice expense RVU 29.12 changed to 27.04
    • Malpractice RVU 0.89 changed to 1.04
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.150 changed to 1.155
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.688 changed to 0.495

    Held through RVU15B.

  15. January 1, 2014

    RVU14A

    $1443.16changed to$1415.07

    • Conversion factor 34.0230 changed to 35.8228
    • Practice expense RVU 31.64 changed to 29.12
    • Malpractice RVU 0.93 changed to 0.89
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.144 changed to 1.150
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.881 changed to 0.688

    Held through RVU14B, RVU14C, RVU14D.

  16. January 1, 2013

    RVU13AR

    Earliest loaded release: $1443.16

    Held through RVU13B, RVU13C, RVU13D.

Rates in every CMS release
Effective fromOfficeFacilityCMS release
2026-10-01$1,279.93$252.90RVU26D
2026-07-01$1,279.93$252.90RVU26C
2026-04-01$1,279.93$252.90RVU26B
2026-01-01$1,279.93$252.90RVU26A
2025-10-01$1,170.49$273.50RVU25D
2025-07-01$1,170.49$273.50RVU25C
2025-04-01$1,170.49$273.50RVU25B
2025-01-01$1,170.49$273.50RVU25A
2024-10-01$1,233.25$279.30RVU24D
2024-07-01$1,233.25$279.30RVU24C
2024-04-01$1,233.25$279.30RVU24B
2024-03-09$1,233.25$279.30RVU24AR
2024-01-01$1,213.12$274.74RVU24A
2023-10-01$1,264.21$279.71RVU23D
2023-07-01$1,264.21$279.71RVU23C
2023-04-01$1,264.21$279.71RVU23B
2023-01-01$1,264.21$279.71RVU23A
2022-10-01$1,313.95$282.61RVU22D
2022-07-01$1,313.95$282.61RVU22C
2022-04-01$1,313.95$282.61RVU22B
2022-01-01$1,313.95$282.61RVU22A
2021-10-01$1,381.53$285.39RVU21D
2021-07-01$1,381.53$285.39RVU21C
2021-04-01$1,381.53$285.39RVU21B
2021-01-01$1,381.53$285.39RVU21A
2020-10-01$1,337.99$296.31RVU20D
2020-07-01$1,337.99$296.31RVU20C
2020-04-01$1,337.99$296.31RVU20B
2020-01-01$1,337.99$296.31RVU20A
2019-10-01$1,278.21$297.32RVU19D
2019-07-01$1,278.21$297.32RVU19C
2019-04-01$1,278.21$297.32RVU19B
2019-01-01$1,278.21$297.32RVU19A
2018-10-01$1,251.31$297.90RVU18D
2018-07-01$1,251.31$297.90RVU18C
2018-04-01$1,251.31$297.90RVU18B
2018-01-01$1,251.31$297.90RVU18AR1
2017-10-01$1,320.81$287.29RVU17D
2017-07-01$1,320.81$287.29RVU17C
2017-04-01$1,320.81$287.29RVU17B
2017-01-01$1,320.81$287.29RVU17A
2016-10-01$1,356.75$283.62RVU16D
2016-07-01$1,356.75$283.62RVU16C
2016-04-01$1,356.75$283.62RVU16B
2016-01-01$1,356.75$283.62RVU16A
2015-10-01$1,334.85$282.74RVU15D
2015-07-01$1,334.85$282.74RVU15C
2015-04-01$1,328.21$281.34RVU15B
2015-01-01$1,328.21$281.34RVU15A
2014-10-01$1,415.07$292.89RVU14D
2014-07-01$1,415.07$292.89RVU14C
2014-04-01$1,415.07$292.89RVU14B
2014-01-01$1,415.07$292.89RVU14A
2013-10-01$1,443.16$288.73RVU13D
2013-07-01$1,443.16$288.73RVU13C
2013-04-01$1,443.16$288.73RVU13B
2013-01-01$1,443.16$288.73RVU13AR

Price 36216 for an earlier date of service

Where the King County, WA rate applies

King County, WA is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 63 cities and communities in Washington. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.

  • Seattle
  • Algona
  • Ames Lake
  • 36216 in Auburn · multiple payment areas
  • Baring
  • Beaux Arts Village
  • Bellevue
  • Black Diamond

Browse all communities in Washington

36216 billing questions

How does 36216 differ from 36215 and 36217?

Select by catheter destination within the arterial tree: 36215 represents a first-order branch, 36216 a second-order branch, and 36217 a third-order or more selective branch.

Can 36216 be reported for each additional branch selected?

Use 36216 for the qualifying second-order placement. For each additional second-order or more selective branch in the same vascular family, consider add-on code 36218 when its reporting criteria are met.

What documentation supports 36216?

Document the access route, the vessels traversed, the target branch and its order, and the diagnostic or therapeutic service associated with the catheter placement.

Should 36216 be reported with cervicocerebral angiography codes?

Codes such as 36222 describe cervicocerebral angiography services that include catheter placement. Do not separately add 36216 for catheter work already represented by that service.

Can modifier 50 or an assistant-at-surgery modifier be used?

Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.

How does CMS reduce payment when other procedures are performed in the session?

The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures subject to the standard multiple procedure rule are paid at 50%.

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 36216PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 4,444 (RVU26D)
Geographic factors for King County, WAGPCI2026.csv, line 108 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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