CPT code 37281: Leg angioplasty, additional simple vessel2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Florida
Report 37281 for balloon angioplasty of each additional tibial or peroneal artery treated during lower-extremity endovascular revascularization classified as simple.
Medicare pays $720.23–$795.03 for 37281 in the office in Florida, from Rest of Florida to Miami, FL. 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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What 37281 covers
37281 represents balloon dilation of an additional tibial or peroneal artery during endovascular treatment of lower-extremity arterial disease. A vascular surgeon, interventional radiologist, or interventional cardiologist may perform the procedure in a catheterization suite, hybrid operating room, or hospital procedure room. Typical cases involve peripheral artery disease affecting lower-leg arteries, with a separate artery treated after the first vessel. The service is vessel-based: treating multiple lesions in one artery does not by itself create additional-vessel units.
Report 37281 only as an add-on to the appropriate first-vessel simple angioplasty code, 37280; it is not a standalone service. Report one unit for each additional tibial or peroneal artery treated, rather than for each lesion or balloon inflation. Use the complex branch when the intervention meets CPT’s complex criteria. The operative report should identify each treated artery, the angioplasty performed, and the basis for the simple-versus-complex selection. CMS places payment within the primary procedure’s global period. For a bilateral procedure reported with modifier 50, CMS pays 150%.
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 37281 pays more and less in Florida
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
3 payment localities
$720.23 to $795.03
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Lauderdale, FL | $761.95 | $152.58 |
| Miami, FL | $795.03 | $168.82 |
| Rest of Florida | $720.23 | $145.15 |
How the 37281 rate is calculated
Each of 37281’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 · 37281
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work3.00
3.00 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense18.38
18.38 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.66
0.66 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
22.0400
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$736.16
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 37281
The CMS indicators that decide how 37281 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 37281
Leg angioplasty, additional simple vessel
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | ZZZ | Add-on code: falls within the primary procedure’s global period. |
| Multiple procedures | 0 | No multiple-procedure reduction. |
| 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. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
37281 without 50 · national office
$736.16
Leg angioplasty, additional simple vessel
37281-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$1,104.24
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).
37281 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 37280Tibial angioplastyStraightforward, initial artery
- 37280 is reported for the first vessel treated with simple tibial or peroneal angioplasty; 37281 is for each additional vessel.
- 37283AngioplastyComplex, each additional vessel
- 37283 covers each additional vessel in the complex angioplasty category. Use 37281 when the intervention is classified as simple.
- 37285Peripheral stentingEach additional vessel
- 37285 is for an additional vessel treated with simple revascularization involving stent placement; 37281 represents simple angioplasty.
- 37289Arterial atherectomyAdditional simple vessel
- 37289 is for an additional vessel treated with simple revascularization involving atherectomy; 37281 represents simple angioplasty.
37281 billing questions
When is 37281 reported instead of 37280?
37280 represents the first vessel treated with simple angioplasty. Report 37281 for each additional tibial or peroneal artery treated in that simple angioplasty category.
Is 37281 billed by lesion or by vessel?
It is reported by additional vessel, not by lesion or balloon inflation. The documentation should identify each artery treated.
How does 37281 differ from 37283?
Both represent additional tibial or peroneal vessels, but 37281 is for simple angioplasty and 37283 is for the complex category.
Can 37281 be reported by itself?
No. It is an add-on code and must be reported with the appropriate primary procedure, such as 37280 for the first vessel treated with simple angioplasty.
How is bilateral treatment paid?
CMS pays a bilateral procedure reported with modifier 50 at 150%.
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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