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Billing code 33534: Arterial CABGMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports coronary artery bypass surgery using two arterial grafts to bypass obstructive coronary disease, with the documented graft count determining the code level.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities7K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $2,061.17 for 33534 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 33534

Arterial CABG

Work RVUs
38.88
Total RVUs
61.71
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$2,061.17

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 33534 →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 33534 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 33534 covers

Code 33534 represents coronary artery bypass surgery using two arterial grafts to route blood around obstructive coronary disease. A cardiothoracic surgeon performs the grafting during open cardiac surgery, usually in a hospital operating room. The operative report should identify the arterial grafts and completed bypasses so the documented graft count supports this level.

Report 33534 for the arterial portion when two arterial grafts are performed. If venous grafts are also used, report the applicable 33517–33523 add-on code for their number; 33518 corresponds to two venous grafts. CMS assigns major surgery a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during that period. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. An assistant at surgery may be paid; 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 33534 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

33534 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$1,866.67
Alaska*Unavailable$2,595.06
ArizonaUnavailable$2,001.26
ArkansasUnavailable$1,843.23
AtlantaUnavailable$2,136.65
AustinUnavailable$2,052.79
BakersfieldUnavailable$2,002.73
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$2,190.25
BeaumontUnavailable$1,998.64
BrazoriaUnavailable$1,996.97

33534 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.

Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.

View every state and territory as a table
33534 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 33534 rate is calculated

Each of 33534’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 · 33534

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Work38.88

38.88 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense13.22

13.22 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice9.61

9.61 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

61.7100

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$2,061.17

Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 33534

33534 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 33534

Arterial CABG

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)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.09/0.82/0.09Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 33534

Arterial CABG

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.

  • 24Unrelated E/M visit by the same physician
  • 79Unrelated procedure (starts its own global period)
  • 58Staged, more extensive, or therapy procedure that was planned
  • 78Unplanned 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

33534 without 51 · national facility

$2,061.17

Arterial CABG

33534-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$1,030.59

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

33534 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

5 codes, side by side

  • 33534

    Arterial CABG38.88 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 33533

    Arterial CABG32.91 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 33535

    Arterial CABG43.63 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 33518

    CABG grafts7.73 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 33511

    Coronary bypass37.49 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

33533Arterial CABG
Use 33533 when one arterial graft is documented; 33534 represents two.
33535Arterial CABG
Use 33535 for three arterial grafts rather than the two represented by 33534.
33518CABG grafts
33518 is an add-on for two venous grafts in a combined arterial-and-venous CABG; it does not replace the arterial CABG code.
33511Coronary bypass
33511 describes CABG with two venous grafts. It is used for venous-only grafting, unlike 33534's two arterial grafts.

Codes related to 33534

Related codes aren’t interchangeable: bill the code that matches the service performed.

Codes related to 33534
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
33533Arterial CABGArterial CABG level for one arterial graft.No office rate
33535Arterial CABGArterial CABG level for three arterial grafts.No office rate
33536CABGArterial CABG level for four or more arterial grafts.No office rate
Add-on codes
33518CABG graftsAdd-on for two venous grafts when combined with arterial CABG.No office rate
33517Combined CABGAdd-on for one venous graft when combined with arterial CABG.No office rate
Often billed with
33508Vein harvestDescribes endoscopic vein harvesting performed for CABG.No office rate
Used instead
33511Coronary bypassFor two venous grafts without the arterial grafting described by 33534.No office rate

33534 billing questions

How does 33534 differ from 33533 or 33535?

Choose among these arterial CABG levels by the number of arterial grafts documented: 33533 is for one, 33534 for two, and 33535 for three.

Can 33534 be reported with a venous CABG code?

Yes. When the operation includes venous grafts as well as the two arterial grafts, report the applicable 33517–33523 add-on code for the number of venous grafts; 33518 corresponds to two.

Is endoscopic vein harvesting included in 33534?

33534 identifies the arterial bypass work. Endoscopic vein harvesting is described separately by 33508 when performed and reportable.

Can modifier 50 be used, and what about surgical assistants?

Modifier 50 is inappropriate for 33534. CMS indicates that an assistant at surgery may be paid, while co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.

What postoperative care is included?

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

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 33534PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,999 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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