Billing code 36014: Pulmonary catheterizationMedicare rate & RVUs

Report selective advancement of a catheter into a pulmonary artery branch for pulmonary angiography or related evaluation, distinct from placement in the main pulmonary artery.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities3.8K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $750.85 for 36014 nationally in the office and $130.60 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $653.31–$1,035.60.

Medicare rate · 36014

Pulmonary catheterization

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
2.94
Total RVUs
22.48
Global days
XXX

National rate · 2026

$750.85

Office setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 36014 → · 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 36014 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 36014 covers

This service captures advancing a catheter from the right heart or main pulmonary artery into a selected pulmonary artery branch. It is commonly performed by an interventional radiologist or cardiologist during catheter-based evaluation of pulmonary vascular disease, such as suspected pulmonary embolism or pulmonary hypertension. The catheter placement is distinct from the imaging interpretation and from any treatment performed through the catheter.

Choose the code based on the catheter’s documented position in the pulmonary arterial tree; placement limited to the right heart or main pulmonary artery is represented by 36013, while additional branch placement is distinguished by 36015. The report should identify the catheter route, the branch or side reached, and the reason for selective positioning. Pulmonary angiographic imaging, when performed, is separately represented by the applicable imaging code. For bilateral catheterization, CMS pays with modifier 50 at 150%. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, CMS pays the highest-valued procedure in full and reduces the others to 50%.

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 36014 pays more and less

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

109 payment localities

$653.31 to $1035.60

$653.31$844.45$1035.60
One dot per payment locality, office / nonfacility. Hover a dot to see the locality; select it to open that rate.

109 of 109 payment localities

36014 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
Alabama$664.32$121.59
Alaska*$834.13$173.56
Arizona$728.81$127.78
Arkansas$653.31$120.51
Atlanta$764.56$134.38
Austin$786.14$129.92
Bakersfield$807.56$127.77
Baltimore/Surr. Cntys$802.70$137.16
Beaumont$692.42$127.99
Brazoria$742.38$127.71

36014 rates by state

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

Explore a state

Local rates. Clear comparisons.

Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.

$653.31

$920.90

Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.

View every state and territory as a table
36014 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$834.131
AL$664.321
AR$653.311
AZ$728.811
CA$806.20–$1,035.6029
CO$789.261
CT$805.201
DC$871.291
DE$742.081
FL$730.91–$801.473
GA$685.18–$764.562
GU$831.321
HI$831.321
IA$687.071
ID$691.471
IL$704.49–$781.114
IN$696.141
KS$681.781
KY$678.821
LA$676.97–$715.472
MA$782.91–$876.622
MD$758.16–$871.293
ME$693.86–$739.212
MI$697.53–$739.572
MN$758.031
MO$662.58–$720.333
MS$658.181
MT$750.821
NC$702.411
ND$741.331
NE$691.861
NH$774.951
NJ$814.90–$859.992
NM$701.241
NV$748.811
NY$714.26–$891.205
OH$695.591
OK$679.161
OR$743.54–$818.982
PA$697.77–$781.822
PR$757.611
RI$772.001
SC$700.061
SD$740.211
TN$685.501
TX$692.42–$786.148
UT$711.021
VA$735.32–$871.292
VI$757.611
VT$736.571
WA$782.04–$897.342
WI$713.021
WV$674.361
WY$746.681

How the 36014 rate is calculated

Each of 36014’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 · 36014

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 2.94Practice expense 19.06Malpractice 0.48

22.4800 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$750.85

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 36014

The CMS indicators that decide how 36014 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 36014

Pulmonary catheterization

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global periodXXXThe global surgery concept doesn’t apply.
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)1Not paid (statutory restriction).
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 50 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

36014 without 50 · national office

$750.85

Pulmonary catheterization

36014-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$1,126.28

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

36014 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

36014 vs 36013 vs 36015 vs 36011 vs 36215: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 36014
    Pulmonary catheterization · 2.94 wRVU
    $750.85
  • 36013
    Pulmonary catheter placement · 2.46 wRVU
    $775.23+$24.38
  • 36015
    Pulmonary catheterization · 3.42 wRVU
    $794.27+$43.42
  • 36011
    Venous catheterization · 3.06 wRVU
    $781.92+$31.07
  • 36215
    Arterial catheterization · 4.07 wRVU
    $1,064.15+$313.30

How to choose

36013Pulmonary catheter placement
Use 36013 for catheter placement limited to the right heart or main pulmonary artery; 36014 reflects selective advancement into a pulmonary artery branch.
36015Pulmonary catheterization
36015 identifies catheter placement in an additional pulmonary artery branch, rather than the selective placement represented by 36014.
36011Venous catheterization
36011 describes selective placement in a first-order venous branch. 36014 concerns selective placement in the pulmonary arterial circulation.
36215Arterial catheterization
36215 concerns selective catheter placement in a thoracic or brachiocephalic systemic arterial branch, not a pulmonary artery branch.

36014 billing questions

How does 36014 differ from 36013?

36014 represents selective catheter advancement into a pulmonary artery branch. Use 36013 when placement is limited to the right heart or main pulmonary artery.

When is 36015 considered?

36015 distinguishes catheter placement in an additional pulmonary artery branch. Documentation should establish the branch catheterized and how it relates to the placement reported with 36014.

Does 36014 include pulmonary angiographic imaging?

No. The catheter-placement service is distinct from pulmonary angiography; report the applicable imaging service when imaging is performed and supported.

How is bilateral catheterization reported for Medicare?

Report bilateral performance with modifier 50. CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.

What happens when another procedure is performed in the same session?

Under the CMS multiple procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the other procedures are paid at 50%.

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 36014PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 4,437 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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