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Billing code 35703: Artery explorationMedicare rate & RVUs

Report this service when a surgeon explores a surgically exposed lower extremity artery and completes the exploration without performing surgical repair.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities610 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $379.77 for 35703 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 35703

Artery exploration

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
7.31
Total RVUs
11.37
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$379.77

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 35703 → · 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 35703 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 35703 covers

A vascular surgeon typically reports this service after exposing an artery in the leg or foot to investigate a suspected problem, such as an injury or an unexpected finding during surgery. The surgeon examines the exposed artery but does not repair it. The service is distinct from an operation in which the artery is repaired after exploration; the documented work must support exploration of a lower extremity artery, not a neck or upper extremity artery.

The operative report should identify the artery, the reason for exploration, the findings, and that no repair was performed. This major surgery code has 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. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeons require 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 35703 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

35703 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$344.65
Alaska*Unavailable$480.45
ArizonaUnavailable$368.92
ArkansasUnavailable$340.43
AtlantaUnavailable$393.55
AustinUnavailable$378.01
BakersfieldUnavailable$368.80
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$403.21
BeaumontUnavailable$368.68
BrazoriaUnavailable$368.10

35703 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
35703 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 35703 rate is calculated

Each of 35703’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 · 35703

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 7.31Practice expense 2.30Malpractice 1.76

11.3700 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$379.77

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 35703

35703 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 35703

Artery exploration

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)1Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount.
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 · 35703

Artery exploration

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 50 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

35703 without 50 · national facility

$379.77

Artery exploration

35703-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$569.66

Both sides on one line with modifier 50 are paid at 150% of the fee schedule amount (subject to multiple-procedure rules with other procedures).

When to use modifier 50

35703 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

35703 vs 35701 vs 35702 vs 35226: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 35703
    Artery exploration · 7.31 wRVU
    —
  • 35701
    Arterial exploration · 7.31 wRVU
    —
  • 35702
    Artery exploration · 6.94 wRVU
    —
  • 35226
    Vessel repair · 14.92 wRVU
    —

How to choose

35701Arterial exploration
Use 35701 for a surgically exposed neck artery. Use 35703 when the artery explored is in the lower extremity.
35702Artery exploration
Use 35702 for a surgically exposed upper extremity artery; 35703 is for a lower extremity artery.
35226Vessel repair
35703 describes exploration that ends without repair. 35226 describes direct repair of a lower extremity blood vessel.

Codes related to 35703

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

Codes related to 35703
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
35701Arterial explorationExploration without repair of a surgically exposed neck artery.No office rate
35702Artery explorationExploration without repair of a surgically exposed upper extremity artery.No office rate
Used instead
35226Vessel repairDescribes direct repair of a lower extremity blood vessel when repair is performed.No office rate

35703 billing questions

How is this code distinguished from 35701 and 35702?

35703 applies to exploration of a surgically exposed lower extremity artery. Codes 35701 and 35702 describe the corresponding exploration for a neck artery and an upper extremity artery, respectively.

Can this code be reported when the artery is repaired?

No. This code describes exploration that concludes without surgical repair. If the surgeon repairs the artery, select the code that describes the repair performed.

What documentation supports reporting 35703?

Document the lower extremity artery explored, the indication and findings, and that no repair was performed. The operative note should support that the artery was surgically exposed and examined.

How does the 90-day global period affect postoperative care?

The global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. Those services are part of the global surgical period.

How is bilateral exploration reported?

Report modifier 50 when the procedure is performed bilaterally; CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%. The operative documentation should support exploration on both sides.

May an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

An assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeons are paid only with supporting documentation, and 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 35703PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 4,411 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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