Billing code 33780: Transposition repairMedicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $2,187.09 for 33780 nationally in a facility.

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

What 33780 covers

This code describes open repair of transposition of the great arteries with a ventricular septal defect and pulmonary outflow reconstruction. In a typical Rastelli-type repair, a congenital cardiac surgeon directs left ventricular blood through an intraventricular pathway toward the aorta and reconstructs the route from the right ventricle to the pulmonary arteries, often using a conduit. The operation is performed in a hospital operating room for complex congenital heart disease; the operative report should identify the transposition anatomy, VSD, and reconstructive work performed.

Report the code for the complete operation, not separately for its septal closure and outflow reconstruction elements. Documentation should establish that both the VSD closure and pulmonary outflow reconstruction were performed. It has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care for 90 days. When other procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is not appropriate for this single congenital cardiac repair. 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 33780 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

33780 rates by state

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

How the 33780 rate is calculated

Each of 33780’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.

Payment rules and modifiers for 33780

33780 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 51

33780 compared with similar codes

How to choose

33779Arterial switch repair

This code includes VSD closure with pulmonary outflow reconstruction. Code 33779 identifies the related reconstruction that includes removal of a pulmonary artery band.

33781Transposition repair

Code 33781 is distinguished by repair of subpulmonary obstruction as part of the transposition reconstruction. Choose based on the documented operative work.

33776Atrial switch repair

Code 33776 describes a transposition repair using an atrial baffle with VSD closure. This code represents pulmonary outflow reconstruction with VSD closure.

33782Nikaidoh repair

Code 33782 is for a Nikaidoh operation, a different anatomic approach to transposition repair; it is not a substitute based only on the presence of a VSD.

Codes related to 33780

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

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

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates