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Billing code 35081: Aortic aneurysm repairMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports open direct repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm that involves visceral vessel origins, such as the renal or mesenteric arteries.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities488 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $1,573.85 for 35081 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 35081

Aortic aneurysm repair

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
32.69
Total RVUs
47.12
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$1,573.85

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 35081 → · 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 35081 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 35081 covers

This code describes open surgical repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm involving visceral vessel origins, performed by direct reconstruction rather than graft-based replacement. The operation is typically performed by a vascular surgeon in a hospital operating room. The visceral anatomy matters: the aneurysm involves vessels such as the renal or mesenteric arteries, not just the abdominal aorta below their origins.

Select this code when the operative report supports both visceral-vessel involvement and direct repair. Documentation should identify the aneurysm’s extent, the involved vessel origins, and the reconstruction performed; a graft-based repair is coded differently. CMS assigns 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 others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this aortic 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 35081 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

35081 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$1,427.63
Alaska*Unavailable$2,008.11
ArizonaUnavailable$1,527.47
ArkansasUnavailable$1,410.18
AtlantaUnavailable$1,636.31
AustinUnavailable$1,556.13
BakersfieldUnavailable$1,505.37
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$1,672.13
BeaumontUnavailable$1,535.76
BrazoriaUnavailable$1,519.54

35081 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
35081 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 35081 rate is calculated

Each of 35081’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 · 35081

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 32.69Practice expense 6.10Malpractice 8.33

47.1200 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$1,573.85

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 35081

35081 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 35081

Aortic aneurysm repair

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 · 35081

Aortic aneurysm repair

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

35081 without 51 · national facility

$1,573.85

Aortic aneurysm repair

35081-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$786.93

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

35081 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

35081 vs 35082 vs 35091 vs 35092: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 35081
    Aortic aneurysm repair · 32.69 wRVU
    —
  • 35082
    Aortic rupture repair · 41.04 wRVU
    —
  • 35091
    Artery repair · 34.47 wRVU
    —
  • 35092
    Aortic rupture repair · 49.7 wRVU
    —

How to choose

35082Aortic rupture repair
Both codes address an abdominal aortic aneurysm involving visceral vessels. Choose 35081 for direct repair and 35082 when the repair uses a graft.
35091Artery repair
35091 is for direct repair when the abdominal aortic aneurysm does not involve visceral vessels; 35081 includes visceral-vessel involvement.
35092Aortic rupture repair
35092 describes graft-based repair without visceral-vessel involvement. 35081 describes direct repair with visceral-vessel involvement.

Codes related to 35081

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

Codes related to 35081
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
35082Aortic rupture repairVisceral-vessel abdominal aortic aneurysm repair using a graft rather than direct repair.No office rate
Used instead
35091Artery repairDirect repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm without visceral-vessel involvement.No office rate
35092Aortic rupture repairGraft-based repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm without visceral-vessel involvement.No office rate

35081 billing questions

How does 35081 differ from 35082?

Both concern abdominal aortic aneurysms involving visceral vessels. Use 35081 for direct repair; 35082 describes repair using a graft.

How do I distinguish 35081 from 35091?

The key distinction is visceral-vessel involvement. 35081 is for aneurysms involving visceral vessel origins; 35091 is for abdominal aortic aneurysms without visceral involvement that are directly repaired.

What operative documentation supports 35081?

The report should establish the aneurysm’s extent, identify the involved visceral vessel origins, and describe direct reconstruction rather than graft-based replacement.

Should modifier 50 be appended?

No. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this aortic repair.

What postoperative care is included?

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

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

An assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; team surgery is 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 35081PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 4,263 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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