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Billing code 33971: Aortic assist removalMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports open removal of an intra-aortic balloon assist device, generally after temporary circulatory support for cardiogenic shock or around cardiac surgery.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities139 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $671.36 for 33971 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 33971

Aortic assist removal

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
11.69
Total RVUs
20.10
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$671.36

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 33971 → · 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 33971 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 33971 covers

This service covers open removal of an intra-aortic balloon assist device, with the surgical exposure needed to remove the device and address the access artery. It is typically performed by a cardiothoracic or vascular surgeon in a hospital when a patient no longer needs temporary aortic support, such as after stabilization from cardiogenic shock or recovery from a cardiac procedure. The open approach distinguishes this service from percutaneous device removal.

Report the code when the operative record supports open removal and identifies the device and access approach. The code 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 procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment is barred by statutory restriction; 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 33971 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

33971 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$607.66
Alaska*Unavailable$837.29
ArizonaUnavailable$652.20
ArkansasUnavailable$599.92
AtlantaUnavailable$694.14
AustinUnavailable$672.52
BakersfieldUnavailable$660.69
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$713.28
BeaumontUnavailable$647.83
BrazoriaUnavailable$652.43

33971 rates by state

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

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

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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
33971 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 33971 rate is calculated

Each of 33971’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 · 33971

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 11.69Practice expense 5.64Malpractice 2.77

20.1000 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$671.36

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 33971

33971 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 33971

Aortic assist removal

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)1Not paid (statutory restriction).
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
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 · 33971

Aortic assist removal

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

33971 without 51 · national facility

$671.36

Aortic assist removal

33971-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$335.68

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

33971 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

33971 vs 33968 vs 33970 vs 33967: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 33971
    Aortic assist removal · 11.69 wRVU
    —
  • 33968
    Balloon removal · 0.62 wRVU
    —
  • 33970
    Aortic assist device · 6.57 wRVU
    —
  • 33967
    Balloon pump insertion · 4.72 wRVU
    —

How to choose

33968Balloon removal
Choose 33971 for open removal and 33968 for percutaneous removal. The operative approach is the key distinction.
33970Aortic assist device
Code 33970 describes open insertion of the aortic assist device; 33971 describes open removal.
33967Balloon pump insertion
Code 33967 reports percutaneous insertion of an intra-aortic balloon assist device, not its open removal.

Codes related to 33971

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

Codes related to 33971
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
33970Aortic assist deviceOpen insertion of an intra-aortic balloon assist device; this code reports its open removal.No office rate
33967Balloon pump insertionPercutaneous insertion code for intra-aortic balloon support.No office rate
Used instead
33968Balloon removalPercutaneous removal option for an intra-aortic balloon assist device.No office rate

33971 billing questions

How does this differ from code 33968?

Code 33971 is for open removal of the aortic assist device. Code 33968 is the percutaneous removal option.

Can the removal be reported with the original insertion?

Report this code for the open removal service, not for the earlier insertion. Code 33970 describes open insertion.

What documentation supports the open approach?

The operative report should identify the intra-aortic balloon assist device, document its removal, and describe the open exposure and access-site work.

Should modifier 50 be appended?

No. Bilateral adjustment is inappropriate for this service.

Is an assistant surgeon payable?

No. Assistant-at-surgery payment is barred by statutory restriction for this code. Co-surgeons and team surgery are also not permitted.

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 33971PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 4,156 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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