CPT code 36510: Umbilical catheter, newborn diagnosis or therapy2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Reports catheter placement through a newborn’s umbilical vein for diagnostic or therapeutic access, rather than a peripherally or centrally inserted catheter.
Medicare pays $81.65–$88.79 for 36510 in the office in Texas, from Beaumont, TX to Austin, TX. Which amount applies depends on the service address.
Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.
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On this page 9 sections
What 36510 covers
A clinician places a catheter through the umbilical vein of a newborn to obtain vascular access for diagnosis or treatment. The service is typically performed in a hospital newborn or neonatal intensive care setting, such as when a newborn needs access for medication, fluids, blood sampling, or other indicated therapy. The report should identify the newborn, the umbilical venous route, the reason for catheterization, and the procedure performed.
This code has a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures, including this one when lower-valued, are subject to the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity; 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 36510 pays more and less in Texas
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
8 payment localities
$81.65 to $88.79
8 of 8 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Austin, TX | $88.79 | $45.32 |
| Beaumont, TX | $81.65 | $44.26 |
| Brazoria, TX | $85.51 | $44.79 |
| Dallas, TX | $85.97 | $45.05 |
| Fort Worth, TX | $85.51 | $45.01 |
| Galveston, TX | $85.72 | $44.92 |
| Houston, TX | $87.00 | $46.20 |
| Rest of Texas | $83.48 | $44.49 |
How the 36510 rate is calculated
Each of 36510’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 · 36510
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work1.06
1.06 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense1.45
1.45 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.07
0.07 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
2.5800
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$86.17
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 36510
The CMS indicators that decide how 36510 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 36510
Umbilical catheter, newborn diagnosis or therapy
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 000 | Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is included. |
| Multiple procedures | 2 | Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
36510 without 51 · national office
$86.17
Umbilical catheter, newborn diagnosis or therapy
36510-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$43.09
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%).
36510 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 36555Central line insertionUnder age 5
- Use 36510 for catheterization through a newborn’s umbilical vein. Code 36555 describes non-tunneled central venous catheter insertion by a central route.
- 36568PICC insertionUnder 5, no imaging
- Code 36568 is for PICC insertion without imaging guidance in a patient younger than five; 36510 is for newborn umbilical venous access.
- 36569PICC insertionAge 5 or older, no imaging
- Code 36569 describes PICC insertion without imaging guidance in a patient five or older, not catheterization through a newborn’s umbilical vein.
36510 billing questions
When should this code be chosen instead of a PICC insertion code?
Use this code when the catheter is placed through a newborn’s umbilical vein. PICC codes describe peripherally inserted central catheters, not umbilical access.
Does the 0-day global period include same-day care?
Yes. Same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included in the 0-day global period.
Should modifier 50 be appended for catheterization on both sides?
No. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this service.
How is this code affected when other procedures occur in the same session?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full; other procedures are subject to the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction.
When is assistant-at-surgery payment allowed?
Only when the record documents medical necessity for the assistant. 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
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