CPT code 37216: Carotid stent, without embolic protection2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Reports percutaneous stent placement in a cervical carotid artery without distal embolic protection, typically to treat carotid narrowing.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 37216 in Texas.
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 37216 covers
Code 37216 identifies percutaneous catheter placement of one or more stents in a cervical carotid artery without distal embolic protection. It is used for endovascular treatment of carotid narrowing and is typically performed by a vascular surgeon, interventional radiologist, or neurointerventional specialist in an angiography suite or catheterization laboratory.
Medicare physician fee schedule status N identifies this service as not covered by Medicare. The key distinction from 37215 is whether distal embolic protection is used: 37216 describes carotid stenting without it, while 37215 describes stenting with it. The code concerns treatment of the cervical carotid artery, not stenting of the intrathoracic common carotid or innominate artery.
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 37216 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 of 8 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Austin, TX | Unavailable | Unavailable |
| Beaumont, TX | Unavailable | Unavailable |
| Brazoria, TX | Unavailable | Unavailable |
| Dallas, TX | Unavailable | Unavailable |
| Fort Worth, TX | Unavailable | Unavailable |
| Galveston, TX | Unavailable | Unavailable |
| Houston, TX | Unavailable | Unavailable |
| Rest of Texas | Unavailable | Unavailable |
How the 37216 rate is calculated
Each of 37216’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 · 37216
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work17.53
17.53 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense6.34
6.34 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.87
1.87 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
25.7400
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$859.74
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 37216
37216 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 37216
Carotid stent, without embolic protection
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 090 | Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included. |
| Multiple procedures | 9 | The concept doesn’t apply. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 9 | The concept doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 9 | The concept doesn’t apply. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 9 | The concept doesn’t apply. |
| Team surgery (66) | 9 | The concept doesn’t apply. |
| Professional/technical | 9 | The concept doesn’t apply. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.09/0.84/0.07 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 37216
Carotid stent, without embolic protection
90-day global period ends
Dec 30, 2026
Covers Sep 30, 2026 through Dec 30, 2026 (92 days, including the day before surgery).
Visit on Oct 31, 2026
Day 30 of the 90-day post-op period: related follow-up care is included in the surgical payment.
Pre-op dayGlobal period
37216 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 37215Carotid stentingWith distal embolic protection
- Both describe percutaneous stenting in a cervical carotid artery. Choose 37216 when distal embolic protection is not used and 37215 when it is used.
- 37217Carotid stentingRetrograde approach
- 37217 addresses stenting of the intrathoracic common carotid or innominate artery by a retrograde approach; 37216 is for the cervical carotid artery.
- 37218Carotid stentingAntegrade intrathoracic approach
- 37218 addresses stenting of the intrathoracic common carotid or innominate artery by an antegrade approach; 37216 is for the cervical carotid artery.
- 37236Arterial stentFirst treated artery
- 37236 is a general arterial stent code. Code 37216 specifically describes cervical carotid stenting without distal embolic protection.
37216 billing questions
How does 37216 differ from 37215?
37216 is for cervical carotid stenting without distal embolic protection. When distal embolic protection is used, the related code is 37215.
Does 37216 describe stenting of the intrathoracic common carotid artery?
No. Codes 37217 and 37218 describe stenting in the intrathoracic common carotid or innominate artery, using different approaches.
What should the procedure note document?
Document the treated artery and whether distal embolic protection was used so the selected carotid stent code reflects the procedure performed.
Does Medicare cover 37216?
No. Medicare physician fee schedule status N identifies the service as not covered.
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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