CPT code 36558: Tunneled catheter, age 5 years or older2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Maryland
Reports placement of a tunneled central venous catheter without an implanted port or pump in a patient age 5 years or older.
Medicare pays $794.74–$907.84 for 36558 in the office in Maryland, from Rest of Maryland to Washington, DC area. 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 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 in Maryland
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
3 payment localities
$794.74 to $907.84
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore area, MD | $840.06 | $244.42 |
| Rest of Maryland | $794.74 | $232.95 |
| Washington, DC area | $907.84 | $253.91 |
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.
How the rate is built · 36558
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work4.48
4.48 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense18.46
18.46 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.64
0.64 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
23.5800
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$787.59
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 36558
36558 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 36558
Tunneled catheter, age 5 years or older
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 010 | Minor procedure: the day of the procedure plus 10 days after are included. |
| Multiple procedures | 2 | Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 1 | Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount. |
| 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. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.10/0.80/0.10 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 36558
Tunneled catheter, age 5 years or older
10-day global period ends
Oct 11, 2026
Covers Oct 1, 2026 through Oct 11, 2026 (11 days).
Visit on Oct 31, 2026
After the global period ends: visits and procedures are billed normally.
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
36558 without 50 · national office
$787.59
Tunneled catheter, age 5 years or older
36558-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$1,181.39
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).
36558 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
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.
36558 billing questions
How does 36558 differ from 36557?
Both report a tunneled central venous catheter without a port or pump. 36558 is for patients age 5 years or older; 36557 is for younger patients.
When should 36561 be considered instead?
Use 36561 when the tunneled catheter is placed with a subcutaneous port in a patient age 5 years or older. Code 36558 describes a catheter without an implanted port or pump.
Can tunneling be reported separately from catheter insertion?
No separate service is represented by the tunnel itself here; 36558 reports placement of the tunneled catheter.
What postoperative care is included?
Related postoperative visits during the 10-day global period are included in the procedure payment.
How does CMS handle multiple procedures in the same session?
CMS pays the highest-valued procedure in full and reduces the other procedures to 50% when they are performed in the same session.
What documentation supports an assistant-at-surgery claim?
The record must document medical necessity for the assistant. CMS does not permit co-surgeons or team surgery for this code.
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
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