CPT code 36573: PICC insertion, age 5+, imaging included2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Maryland
Reports placement of a peripherally inserted central catheter in a patient age five or older when imaging guidance and related interpretation are included.
Medicare pays $369.45–$423.58 for 36573 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 36573 covers
This service covers placing a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) in a patient who is at least five years old. The catheter enters through a peripheral vein, commonly in the arm, and is advanced so its tip reaches central circulation. Clinicians use PICCs when longer-term vascular access is needed, such as for infusion therapy or other ongoing treatment. The code includes imaging guidance, image documentation, and associated radiological supervision and interpretation for the placement.
Report it for initial PICC insertion when the patient meets the age threshold and imaging is used as part of the service. Documentation should support the patient’s age, the insertion, the imaging performed, and catheter tip position. Choose the non-imaging code 36569 when the PICC is inserted without imaging. CMS assigns a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service; 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 36573 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
$369.45 to $423.58
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore area, MD | $390.26 | $75.24 |
| Rest of Maryland | $369.45 | $72.34 |
| Washington, DC area | $423.58 | $77.72 |
How the 36573 rate is calculated
Each of 36573’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 · 36573
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work1.66
1.66 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense9.11
9.11 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.18
0.18 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
10.9500
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$365.74
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 36573
The CMS indicators that decide how 36573 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 36573
PICC insertion, age 5+, imaging included
| 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 | 0 | No multiple-procedure reduction. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 1 | Not paid (statutory restriction). |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
36573 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 36572PICC insertionYounger than 5, imaging guided
- Both include imaging guidance for PICC placement; 36572 is for patients younger than five, while 36573 is for patients age five or older.
- 36569PICC insertionAge 5 or older, no imaging
- Use 36569 for PICC insertion in a patient age five or older without imaging. Use 36573 when imaging guidance and related documentation and interpretation are included.
- 36556Central line insertionAge 5 years or older
- This code describes a non-tunneled central catheter inserted centrally, rather than a PICC advanced from a peripheral vein.
36573 billing questions
How does 36573 differ from 36569?
Both cover PICC insertion for patients age five or older. Use 36573 when imaging guidance, image documentation, and associated radiological supervision and interpretation are included; 36569 is for insertion without imaging.
Which age group qualifies for 36573?
The patient must be age five or older on the date of insertion. Code 36572 is the imaging-included counterpart for patients younger than five.
Can imaging guidance be billed separately?
Imaging guidance, image documentation, and associated radiological supervision and interpretation for the PICC placement are included in 36573.
Should modifier 50 be appended for two-arm access?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inapplicable for this code, and modifier 50 is inappropriate.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for 36573. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
What is included in the global period?
The code has a 0-day global period. Same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included.
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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