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CPT code 36555: Central line insertion, under age 52026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Virginia

Reports placement of a non-tunneled, centrally inserted venous catheter in a child younger than five, such as for intensive-care infusions or monitoring.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026One payment locality21 Medicare services in 2024

In Virginia, Medicare pays $209.39 for 36555 in the office and $77.40 when it’s performed in a hospital or facility.

$209.39Office (non-facility)
$77.40Hospital or facility
−1.9%vs the national office rate ($213.43)

Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 36555 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 36555 for the payment locality that covers the ZIP.

On this page 11 sections
  1. Rate in Virginia
  2. What 36555 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 36555 covers

This service covers placement of a non-tunneled central venous catheter in a child younger than five. A physician or other qualified clinician may perform it in an operating room, intensive care unit, emergency department, or another setting requiring central access. Typical access routes include the internal jugular, subclavian, or femoral vein. The catheter provides central venous access for needs such as vasoactive medication, prolonged infusion, or hemodynamic monitoring; it is not a tunneled line, implanted port, or peripherally inserted catheter.

Select this code based on the patient’s age on the service date and the centrally inserted, non-tunneled catheter type. Documentation should identify the indication, catheter and access route, insertion, and the patient’s age. The 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Medicare does not pay for an assistant-at-surgery service for this code, and co-surgeon and team-surgery reporting 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.

How Virginia compares for 36555

Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the office rate for 36555 runs from $190.35 in Arkansas to $282.08 in San Benito County, CA. Virginia pays $209.39. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.

36555 in Virginia vs other payment areas
  1. Virginia · this page$209.39
  2. Los Angeles, CA · California$240.80+$31.41
  3. Washington, DC area · District of Columbia$243.29+$33.90
  4. Miami, FL · Florida$227.56+$18.17
  5. Chicago, IL · Illinois$221.52+$12.13
  6. Manhattan, NY · New York$244.12+$34.73
  7. Alaska · Alaska$251.87+$42.48

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

Every other payment area

36555 in every other Medicare payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaAlabama$192.95$75.46
ArkansasArkansas$190.35$75.01
ArizonaArizona$208.16$78.05
Bakersfield, CACalifornia$226.48$79.32
Chico, CACalifornia$225.97$78.81
El Centro, CACalifornia$225.99$78.83
Fresno, CACalifornia$225.97$78.81
Hanford, CACalifornia$225.97$78.81

36555 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.

$190.35

$254.02

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

View every state and territory as a table
36555 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$251.871
AL$192.951
AR$190.351
AZ$208.161
CA$225.97–$282.0829
CO$222.311
CT$227.001
DC$243.291
DE$211.461
FL$209.73–$227.563
GA$198.77–$217.022
GU$231.091
HI$231.091
IA$197.861
ID$198.991
IL$203.80–$221.924
IN$200.081
KS$196.831
KY$196.851
LA$196.50–$205.592
MA$221.05–$243.612
MD$215.36–$243.293
ME$199.79–$210.152
MI$201.48–$212.012
MN$213.881
MO$193.24–$206.473
MS$191.841
MT$213.421
NC$201.771
ND$210.261
NE$198.921
NH$218.721
NJ$229.83–$241.002
NM$202.451
NV$212.681
NY$204.58–$249.495
OH$200.831
OK$196.691
OR$211.26–$229.202
PA$201.22–$221.552
PR$214.951
RI$218.841
SC$201.591
SD$209.881
TN$197.741
TX$199.98–$221.388
UT$204.171
VA$209.39–$243.292
VI$214.951
VT$209.341
WA$220.67–$248.582
WI$203.631
WV$196.701
WY$212.041

See 36555 in every payment locality

How the 36555 rate is calculated

Each of 36555’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 · 36555

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work1.88

1.88 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense4.35

4.35 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.16

0.16 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

6.3900

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$213.43

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

The exact Virginia inputs and CMS source lines

PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv

4,504

Code
36555
Physician work
1.88
Practice expense
4.35
Malpractice
0.16

GPCI2026.csv

106

Locality
Virginia
Physician work
1.000
Practice expense
0.983
Malpractice
0.706
Office calculation for 36555 in Virginia
ComponentRVULocality factorAdjusted
Physician work1.88× 1.0001.8800
Practice expense4.35× 0.9834.2760
Malpractice0.16× 0.7060.1130
Total RVUs6.2690
Conversion factor× 33.4009

Office rate, Virginia$209.39

Office: (1.88 × 1 + 4.35 × 0.983 + 0.16 × 0.706) × $33.4009 = $209.39

Facility: (1.88 × 1 + 0.33 × 0.983 + 0.16 × 0.706) × $33.4009 = $77.40

Open 36555 in the RVU calculator

Payment rules and modifiers for 36555

The CMS indicators that decide how 36555 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 36555

Central line insertion, under age 5

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period000Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is included.
Multiple procedures0No multiple-procedure reduction.
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.

Codes related to 36555

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

Codes related to 36555
CodeHow it relatesOffice range, Virginia
Same family
36556Central line insertion, age 5 years or olderSame non-tunneled central catheter service for patients age five and older.$232.61
Used instead
36557Tunneled catheter, under age five, no portTunneled central catheter insertion for a patient younger than five.$1,231.63
36558Tunneled catheter, age 5 years or olderTunneled central catheter insertion for a patient age five or older.$770.83
36568PICC insertion, under 5, no imagingPICC insertion for a patient younger than five, rather than centrally inserted access.No office rate

How 36555 has changed in Virginia

36555 · Office / nonfacility

$209.39

Effective 2026-10-01

The base rate is $34.07 higher than on 2025-10-01, moving from $175.32 to $209.39 (19.4%).

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

    $175.32changed to$209.39

    • Conversion factor 32.3465 changed to 33.4009
    • Work RVU 1.93 changed to 1.88
    • Practice expense RVU 3.42 changed to 4.35
    • Work GPCI 1.002 changed to 1.000
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.984 changed to 0.983
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.755 changed to 0.706

    Held through RVU26B, RVU26C, RVU26D.

  2. January 1, 2025

    RVU25A

    $183.36changed to$175.32

    • Conversion factor 33.2875 changed to 32.3465
    • Practice expense RVU 3.51 changed to 3.42

    Held through RVU25B, RVU25C, RVU25D.

  3. March 9, 2024

    RVU24AR

    $180.37changed to$183.36

    • Conversion factor 32.7442 changed to 33.2875

    Held through RVU24B, RVU24C, RVU24D.

  4. January 1, 2024

    RVU24A

    $190.26changed to$180.37

    • Conversion factor 33.8872 changed to 32.7442
    • Practice expense RVU 3.58 changed to 3.51
    • Malpractice RVU 0.17 changed to 0.16
    • Work GPCI 1.000 changed to 1.002
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.990 changed to 0.984
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.826 changed to 0.755

  5. January 1, 2023

    RVU23A

    $197.40changed to$190.26

    • Conversion factor 34.6062 changed to 33.8872
    • Practice expense RVU 3.64 changed to 3.58
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.995 changed to 0.990
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.897 changed to 0.826

    Held through RVU23B, RVU23C, RVU23D.

  6. January 1, 2022

    RVU22A

    $200.50changed to$197.40

    • Conversion factor 34.8931 changed to 34.6062
    • Practice expense RVU 3.70 changed to 3.64
    • Malpractice RVU 0.15 changed to 0.17

    Held through RVU22B, RVU22C, RVU22D.

  7. January 1, 2021

    RVU21A

    $191.49changed to$200.50

    • Conversion factor 36.0896 changed to 34.8931
    • Practice expense RVU 3.27 changed to 3.70
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.991 changed to 0.995
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.903 changed to 0.897

    Held through RVU21B, RVU21C, RVU21D.

  8. January 1, 2020

    RVU20A

    $189.95changed to$191.49

    • Conversion factor 36.0391 changed to 36.0896
    • Practice expense RVU 3.25 changed to 3.27
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.986 changed to 0.991
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.908 changed to 0.903

    Held through RVU20B, RVU20C, RVU20D.

  9. January 1, 2019

    RVU19A

    $187.61changed to$189.95

    • Conversion factor 35.9996 changed to 36.0391
    • Practice expense RVU 3.19 changed to 3.25

    Held through RVU19B, RVU19C, RVU19D.

  10. January 1, 2018

    RVU18AR1

    $206.59changed to$187.61

    • Conversion factor 35.8887 changed to 35.9996
    • Work RVU 2.43 changed to 1.93
    • Practice expense RVU 3.21 changed to 3.19
    • Malpractice RVU 0.19 changed to 0.15
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.985 changed to 0.986
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.866 changed to 0.908

    Held through RVU18B, RVU18C, RVU18D.

  11. January 1, 2017

    RVU17A

    $258.36changed to$206.59

    • Conversion factor 35.8043 changed to 35.8887
    • Work RVU 2.68 changed to 2.43
    • Practice expense RVU 4.43 changed to 3.21
    • Malpractice RVU 0.22 changed to 0.19
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.983 changed to 0.985
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.824 changed to 0.866

    Held through RVU17B, RVU17C, RVU17D.

  12. January 1, 2016

    RVU16A

    $255.76changed to$258.36

    • Conversion factor 35.9335 changed to 35.8043
    • Practice expense RVU 4.33 changed to 4.43

    Held through RVU16B, RVU16C, RVU16D.

  13. July 1, 2015

    RVU15C

    $254.49changed to$255.76

    • Conversion factor 35.7547 changed to 35.9335

    Held through RVU15D.

  14. January 1, 2015

    RVU15A

    $255.27changed to$254.49

    • Conversion factor 35.8228 changed to 35.7547
    • Practice expense RVU 4.37 changed to 4.33
    • Malpractice RVU 0.21 changed to 0.22
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.980 changed to 0.983
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.778 changed to 0.824

    Held through RVU15B.

  15. January 1, 2014

    RVU14A

    $259.20changed to$255.27

    • Conversion factor 34.0230 changed to 35.8228
    • Practice expense RVU 4.89 changed to 4.37
    • Malpractice RVU 0.22 changed to 0.21
    • Practice expense GPCI 0.977 changed to 0.980
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.731 changed to 0.778

    Held through RVU14B, RVU14C, RVU14D.

  16. January 1, 2013

    RVU13AR

    Earliest loaded release: $259.20

    Held through RVU13B, RVU13C, RVU13D.

Rates in every CMS release
Effective fromOfficeFacilityCMS release
2026-10-01$209.39$77.40RVU26D
2026-07-01$209.39$77.40RVU26C
2026-04-01$209.39$77.40RVU26B
2026-01-01$209.39$77.40RVU26A
2025-10-01$175.32$79.19RVU25D
2025-07-01$175.32$79.19RVU25C
2025-04-01$175.32$79.19RVU25B
2025-01-01$175.32$79.19RVU25A
2024-10-01$183.36$81.17RVU24D
2024-07-01$183.36$81.17RVU24C
2024-04-01$183.36$81.17RVU24B
2024-03-09$183.36$81.17RVU24AR
2024-01-01$180.37$79.84RVU24A
2023-10-01$190.26$83.24RVU23D
2023-07-01$190.26$83.24RVU23C
2023-04-01$190.26$83.24RVU23B
2023-01-01$190.26$83.24RVU23A
2022-10-01$197.40$85.15RVU22D
2022-07-01$197.40$85.15RVU22C
2022-04-01$197.40$85.15RVU22B
2022-01-01$197.40$85.15RVU22A
2021-10-01$200.50$84.88RVU21D
2021-07-01$200.50$84.88RVU21C
2021-04-01$200.50$84.88RVU21B
2021-01-01$200.50$84.88RVU21A
2020-10-01$191.49$87.42RVU20D
2020-07-01$191.49$87.42RVU20C
2020-04-01$191.49$87.42RVU20B
2020-01-01$191.49$87.42RVU20A
2019-10-01$189.95$87.97RVU19D
2019-07-01$189.95$87.97RVU19C
2019-04-01$189.95$87.97RVU19B
2019-01-01$189.95$87.97RVU19A
2018-10-01$187.61$88.94RVU18D
2018-07-01$187.61$88.94RVU18C
2018-04-01$187.61$88.94RVU18B
2018-01-01$187.61$88.94RVU18AR1
2017-10-01$206.59$109.02RVU17D
2017-07-01$206.59$109.02RVU17C
2017-04-01$206.59$109.02RVU17B
2017-01-01$206.59$109.02RVU17A
2016-10-01$258.36$120.40RVU16D
2016-07-01$258.36$120.40RVU16C
2016-04-01$258.36$120.40RVU16B
2016-01-01$258.36$120.40RVU16A
2015-10-01$255.76$119.77RVU15D
2015-07-01$255.76$119.77RVU15C
2015-04-01$254.49$119.17RVU15B
2015-01-01$254.49$119.17RVU15A
2014-10-01$255.27$119.76RVU14D
2014-07-01$255.27$119.76RVU14C
2014-04-01$255.27$119.76RVU14B
2014-01-01$255.27$119.76RVU14A
2013-10-01$259.20$115.27RVU13D
2013-07-01$259.20$115.27RVU13C
2013-04-01$259.20$115.27RVU13B
2013-01-01$259.20$115.27RVU13AR

Price 36555 for an earlier date of service

Where the Virginia rate applies

Virginia is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 628 cities and communities in Virginia. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.

  • Abbs Valley
  • Abingdon
  • Accomac
  • Adwolf
  • Afton
  • Alberta
  • Aldie
  • Allison Gap

Browse all communities in Virginia

36555 billing questions

When should 36555 be used instead of 36556?

Use 36555 for a non-tunneled, centrally inserted central venous catheter in a patient younger than five. Code 36556 is the corresponding age-five-and-older code.

How is this different from a tunneled catheter insertion?

The catheter reported with 36555 is not tunneled beneath the skin. A tunneled central catheter in a child younger than five is reported with 36557.

Is a PICC reported with 36555?

No. A peripherally inserted central catheter is classified separately; 36568 is the PICC insertion code for a patient younger than five.

What documentation supports reporting 36555?

Document the patient’s age, the need for central venous access, the non-tunneled catheter, the insertion, and the access route.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported for this service?

Medicare does not pay an assistant-at-surgery service for 36555. Co-surgeon and team-surgery reporting 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 36555PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 4,504 (RVU26D)
Geographic factors for VirginiaGPCI2026.csv, line 106 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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