CPT code 36471: Sclerotherapy, multiple incompetent veins2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Reports sclerosant treatment of multiple incompetent veins in the same leg, typically for symptomatic superficial venous disease and varicosities.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities82.5K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $205.08 for 36471 nationally in the office and $66.80 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $179.71–$270.76.

Medicare rate · 36471

Sclerotherapy, multiple incompetent veins

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
1.46
Total RVUs
6.14
Global days
000

National rate · 2026

$205.08

Office setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 36471 →Billed by an NP, PA or therapist? →

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

Your location

Medicare pays by the payment locality where the service is performed.

On this page 10 sections
  1. Medicare rate
  2. What 36471 covers
  3. By payment locality
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Similar codes
  8. Related codes
  9. Billing questions
  10. Sources

What 36471 covers

This service treats multiple incompetent superficial veins in one leg by injecting a sclerosing agent to close the targeted veins. It is commonly performed by a vascular surgeon, interventional radiologist, or other qualified clinician in an office or outpatient setting for patients with varicose veins or related symptoms. The code distinguishes treatment of multiple veins from treatment of a single incompetent vein and from injection treatment directed at spider veins.

Report the service when documentation identifies the treated leg, the multiple incompetent veins addressed, and the injection treatment performed. This is a minor procedure with a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When multiple procedures occur in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction. For bilateral treatment reported with modifier 50, CMS pays at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery services are not paid; co-surgeons and team surgery 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.

Where 36471 pays more and less

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

109 payment localities

$179.71 to $270.76

$179.71$225.24$270.76
One dot per payment locality, office / nonfacility. Hover a dot to see the locality; select it to open that rate.

109 of 109 payment localities

36471 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
Alabama$182.55$61.55
Alaska$234.65$87.38
Arizona$199.14$65.15
Arkansas$179.71$60.93
Atlanta, GA$209.52$69.03
Austin, TX$212.58$66.28
Bakersfield, CA$216.30$64.74
Baltimore area, MD$218.86$70.49
Beaumont, TX$191.20$65.36
Brazoria, TX$202.02$64.99

36471 rates by state

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

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.

$179.71

$243.13

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

View every state and territory as a table
36471 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$234.651
AL$182.551
AR$179.711
AZ$199.141
CA$215.49–$270.7629
CO$212.931
CT$219.381
DC$234.911
DE$202.591
FL$203.50–$225.903
GA$191.11–$209.522
GU$221.091
HI$221.091
IA$186.781
ID$188.251
IL$197.78–$218.704
IN$189.401
KS$186.201
KY$187.981
LA$187.81–$197.752
MA$211.67–$234.462
MD$206.53–$234.913
ME$189.69–$200.192
MI$193.57–$206.592
MN$202.511
MO$184.59–$198.063
MS$182.171
MT$205.061
NC$191.761
ND$199.331
NE$187.771
NH$209.881
NJ$221.46–$232.272
NM$194.861
NV$203.611
NY$194.87–$244.225
OH$192.401
OK$187.231
OR$201.62–$219.662
PA$192.53–$213.842
PR$206.551
RI$209.801
SC$192.481
SD$198.651
TN$187.251
TX$191.20–$212.588
UT$195.301
VA$199.74–$234.912
VI$206.551
VT$198.831
WA$211.17–$239.032
WI$192.221
WV$190.051
WY$202.561

How the 36471 rate is calculated

Each of 36471’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 · 36471

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work1.46

1.46 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense4.39

4.39 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.29

0.29 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

6.1400

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$205.08

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 36471

The CMS indicators that decide how 36471 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 36471

Sclerotherapy, multiple incompetent veins

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)1Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount.
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 50 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

36471 without 50 · national office

$205.08

Sclerotherapy, multiple incompetent veins

36471-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$307.62

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).

When to use modifier 50

36471 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

5 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 36471

    Sclerotherapy, multiple incompetent veins1.46 wRVU

    $205.08

  • 36470

    Vein sclerotherapy, one incompetent vein0.73 wRVU

    $120.91−$84.17

  • 36465

    Foam sclerotherapy, one incompetent truncal vein2.29 wRVU

    $1,286.60+$1,081.52

  • 36466

    Foam sclerotherapy, multiple incompetent veins2.93 wRVU

    $1,339.04+$1,133.96

  • 36468

    Sclerotherapy, spider veins0 wRVU

    $0.00−$205.08

How to choose

36470Vein sclerotherapyOne incompetent vein
36470 is for treatment of one incompetent vein. Use 36471 when multiple incompetent veins in the same leg are treated.
36465Foam sclerotherapyOne incompetent truncal vein
36465 describes non-compounded foam sclerosant treatment of one vein. 36471 represents injection treatment of multiple incompetent veins using a different documented technique.
36466Foam sclerotherapyMultiple incompetent veins
36466 also addresses multiple veins but specifies non-compounded foam sclerosant. Select based on the sclerosant technique documented.
36468SclerotherapySpider veins
36468 is for injection treatment of spider veins. 36471 is for multiple incompetent veins in the same leg.

36471 billing questions

When should 36471 be chosen over 36470?

Use 36471 when multiple incompetent veins in the same leg are treated. Use 36470 when treatment is limited to one incompetent vein.

How does 36471 differ from foam sclerotherapy codes 36465 and 36466?

Those codes describe treatment using non-compounded foam sclerosant. Choose between them and 36471 based on the documented technique and number of veins treated.

Can same-day preoperative or postoperative care be billed separately?

Same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included in the 0-day global period for this procedure.

How is bilateral treatment reported?

When both legs are treated and the service is reported with modifier 50, CMS pays at 150%.

What happens when another procedure is performed in the same session?

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

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be billed for this procedure?

Assistant-at-surgery services are not paid for this code. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.

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 36471PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 4,485 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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