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Billing code 33871: Aortic arch graftMedicare rate & RVUs

Reported when an open operation replaces the transverse aortic arch with a graft and uses hypothermic circulatory arrest.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities761 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $3,003.41 for 33871 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 33871

Aortic arch graft

Work RVUs
59.36
Total RVUs
89.92
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$3,003.41

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 33871 →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 33871 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 33871 covers

A cardiac surgeon uses this code for open graft replacement of the transverse aortic arch during hypothermic circulatory arrest, typically with cardiopulmonary bypass. The operation may address an arch aneurysm or aortic dissection involving the transverse arch. It is performed in an operating room, generally in a hospital setting; the operative report should identify the arch segment replaced and describe the graft reconstruction and use of hypothermic arrest.

Select the code from the operation actually performed, distinguishing transverse arch replacement from a hemiarch repair or a repair specifically for hypoplastic arch. The code has a 90-day global period: the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included. 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% multiple-procedure reduction. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available. Co-surgeons are paid only with supporting documentation; 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 33871 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

33871 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$2,723.89
Alaska*Unavailable$3,808.38
ArizonaUnavailable$2,916.21
ArkansasUnavailable$2,690.35
AtlantaUnavailable$3,116.65
AustinUnavailable$2,982.01
BakersfieldUnavailable$2,899.63
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$3,190.28
BeaumontUnavailable$2,920.88
BrazoriaUnavailable$2,906.34

33871 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
33871 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 33871 rate is calculated

Each of 33871’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 · 33871

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Work59.36

59.36 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense15.84

15.84 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice14.72

14.72 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

89.9200

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$3,003.41

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 33871

33871 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 33871

Aortic arch 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 · 33871

Aortic arch 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.

  • 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

33871 without 51 · national facility

$3,003.41

Aortic arch graft

33871-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$1,501.71

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

33871 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

5 codes, side by side

  • 33871

    Aortic arch graft59.36 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 33866

    Aortic graft17.31 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 33853

    Aortic arch repair31.7 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 33875

    Aortic graft49.45 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 33858

    Aortic graft61.82 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

33866Aortic graft
33866 is for aortic hemiarch graft work. Use 33871 when the documented replacement extends across the transverse arch and uses hypothermic circulatory arrest.
33853Aortic arch repair
33853 addresses repair of a hypoplastic aortic arch with bypass. 33871 describes transverse arch graft replacement with hypothermic circulatory arrest.
33875Aortic graft
33875 concerns thoracic aortic graft replacement outside the transverse arch operation described by 33871. Use the code matching the treated aortic segment and procedure.
33858Aortic graft
33858 describes ascending aortic graft repair for disease at the aortic dissection site. 33871 is the transverse arch graft procedure with hypothermic circulatory arrest.

Codes related to 33871

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

Codes related to 33871
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
33866Aortic graftAortic hemiarch graft procedure for a more limited extent of arch replacement.No office rate
Used instead
33853Aortic arch repairRepair specifically for hypoplastic aortic arch, performed with bypass.No office rate
33858Aortic graftAscending aortic graft repair for disease at the aortic dissection site.No office rate
33863Aortic graftAscending aortic graft procedure that includes aortic valve conduit work.No office rate
33875Aortic graftGraft replacement of the thoracic aorta at a different anatomic segment.No office rate

33871 billing questions

How does this differ from a hemiarch graft?

Use 33871 for transverse arch graft replacement with hypothermic circulatory arrest. Code 33866 describes aortic hemiarch graft work, a more limited extent of arch replacement.

When would 33853 be considered instead?

Code 33853 describes repair of a hypoplastic aortic arch with bypass. Choose based on the documented operation and indication, rather than treating it as interchangeable with transverse arch graft replacement.

Are related postoperative visits separately reported?

Related postoperative care during the 90-day global period is included. The day-before preoperative visit is also included.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted for this code.

How are other procedures in the same session paid?

The highest-valued procedure is paid in full; other procedures in the session are subject to the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction.

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 33871PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 4,096 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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