Billing code 33330: Vessel graftMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports open graft reconstruction of the aorta or another great vessel when the operation is performed without cardiopulmonary bypass.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities

Medicare pays $1,363.42 for 33330 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 33330

Vessel graft

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
24.66
Total RVUs
40.82
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$1,363.42

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 33330 → · Billed by an NP, PA or therapist? →

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

On this page 10 sections
  1. Medicare rate
  2. What 33330 covers
  3. By payment locality
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Similar codes
  8. Related codes
  9. Billing questions
  10. Sources

What 33330 covers

This code describes operative placement of a graft to reconstruct the aorta or a great vessel without cardiopulmonary bypass. Cardiothoracic surgeons typically perform the service in an operating room when the vessel requires graft reconstruction, rather than direct repair alone. The operative report should identify the vessel treated, the graft reconstruction performed, and whether cardiopulmonary bypass was used.

Select this code when the documented procedure fits the major-vessel graft service and is performed without bypass; use the related bypass code when bypass is used. The service has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is 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 33330 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

33330 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$1,234.96
Alaska*Unavailable$1,708.88
ArizonaUnavailable$1,324.39
ArkansasUnavailable$1,219.41
AtlantaUnavailable$1,411.05
AustinUnavailable$1,362.43
BakersfieldUnavailable$1,334.76
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$1,448.38
BeaumontUnavailable$1,318.60
BrazoriaUnavailable$1,323.50

33330 rates by state

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

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Local rates. Clear comparisons.

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33330 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AKNo published base rate1
ALNo published base rate1
ARNo published base rate1
AZNo published base rate1
CANo published base rate29
CONo published base rate1
CTNo published base rate1
DCNo published base rate1
DENo published base rate1
FLNo published base rate3
GANo published base rate2
GUNo published base rate1
HINo published base rate1
IANo published base rate1
IDNo published base rate1
ILNo published base rate4
INNo published base rate1
KSNo published base rate1
KYNo published base rate1
LANo published base rate2
MANo published base rate2
MDNo published base rate3
MENo published base rate2
MINo published base rate2
MNNo published base rate1
MONo published base rate3
MSNo published base rate1
MTNo published base rate1
NCNo published base rate1
NDNo published base rate1
NENo published base rate1
NHNo published base rate1
NJNo published base rate2
NMNo published base rate1
NVNo published base rate1
NYNo published base rate5
OHNo published base rate1
OKNo published base rate1
ORNo published base rate2
PANo published base rate2
PRNo published base rate1
RINo published base rate1
SCNo published base rate1
SDNo published base rate1
TNNo published base rate1
TXNo published base rate8
UTNo published base rate1
VANo published base rate2
VINo published base rate1
VTNo published base rate1
WANo published base rate2
WINo published base rate1
WVNo published base rate1
WYNo published base rate1

How the 33330 rate is calculated

Each of 33330’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 · 33330

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 24.66Practice expense 10.25Malpractice 5.91

40.8200 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$1,363.42

All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 33330

33330 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 33330

Vessel graft

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period090Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included.
Multiple procedures2Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%.
Bilateral (modifier 50)0The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)2Paid.
Co-surgeons (62)1Permitted with supporting documentation.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.09/0.84/0.07Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 33330

Vessel graft

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.

  • 24 Unrelated E/M visit by the same physician
  • 79 Unrelated procedure (starts its own global period)
  • 58 Staged, more extensive, or therapy procedure that was planned
  • 78 Unplanned return to the operating room for a related complication
SurgeryVisit
Sep 23, 2026Jan 10, 2027

Pre-op dayGlobal period

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

33330 without 51 · national facility

$1,363.42

Vessel graft

33330-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$681.71

When this isn’t the highest-valued procedure in the session, Medicare pays 50% of its fee schedule amount (the highest is paid at 100%).

When to use modifier 51

33330 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

33330 vs 33335 vs 33320: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 33330
    Vessel graft · 24.66 wRVU
    —
  • 33335
    Aortic graft · 33.06 wRVU
    —
  • 33320
    Major vessel repair · 18.08 wRVU
    —

How to choose

33335Aortic graft
Choose 33330 when graft insertion is performed without cardiopulmonary bypass; 33335 describes the corresponding graft service with bypass.
33320Major vessel repair
33320 is for direct repair of an intrathoracic blood vessel. This code describes graft insertion to reconstruct the aorta or a great vessel.

33330 billing questions

How does this differ from 33335?

The distinction is use of cardiopulmonary bypass: 33330 is for graft insertion without bypass, while 33335 is the corresponding service with bypass.

When is direct vessel repair a better fit?

Use a direct-repair code such as 33320 when the surgeon repairs the intrathoracic vessel directly rather than reconstructing it with a graft.

What documentation supports reporting 33330?

The operative report should identify the aorta or great vessel reconstructed, describe graft placement, and establish that cardiopulmonary bypass was not used.

Can modifier 50 be reported?

No. The CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply to this code, and modifier 50 is inappropriate for its descriptor and anatomy.

How are assistants and co-surgeons treated?

An assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; team surgery is not permitted.

What postoperative care is included?

The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.

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
RVUs for 33330PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,920 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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