CPT code 36558: Tunneled catheter, age 5 years or older2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $787.59 for 36558 nationally in the office and $232.47 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $690.29–$1,066.66.

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

What 36558 covers

This service places a central venous catheter through a subcutaneous tunnel, with the catheter entering a central vein and exiting at a separate skin site. It is used when a patient needs longer-term venous access, such as for extended infusion therapy or repeated treatment. Surgeons and interventional radiologists commonly perform the procedure in a hospital operating room or interventional suite; it may also be performed in another appropriate procedural setting.

Report 36558 for a patient age 5 years or older when the catheter is tunneled and no subcutaneous port or pump is implanted. The record should support the patient’s age, the need for central access, and the tunneled catheter placement. CMS assigns a 10-day global period, including related postoperative visits during that period. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are reduced. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented 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 36558 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

36558 rates by state

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

How the 36558 rate is calculated

Each of 36558’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 36558

36558 has a 10-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

36558 compared with similar codes

How to choose

36557Tunneled catheterUnder age five, no port

Choose 36557 for a tunneled catheter without a port or pump in a patient younger than 5 years; 36558 is for age 5 years or older.

36561Port placementAge five or older

Choose 36561 when placement includes a subcutaneous port. 36558 is for a tunneled catheter without a port or pump.

36556Central line insertionAge 5 years or older

36556 describes central venous catheter placement without tunneling in a patient age 5 years or older; 36558 requires a tunneled catheter.

Codes related to 36558

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