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Billing code 36511: Leukocyte apheresisMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports therapeutic blood processing that removes circulating white blood cells, commonly to reduce dangerous leukocyte counts in patients with leukemia.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities326 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $91.18 for 36511 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 36511

Leukocyte apheresis

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
1.95
Total RVUs
2.73
Global days
000

National rate · 2026

$91.18

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 36511 → · 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 36511 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 36511 covers

Code 36511 represents an extracorporeal blood treatment that separates and removes circulating white blood cells while returning the remaining blood components to the patient. It is used for leukocytapheresis, commonly urgent reduction of very high leukocyte counts when leukemia-related hyperleukocytosis is causing or threatening leukostasis. A hospital apheresis service typically performs the treatment, with hematology or transfusion-medicine physician involvement in inpatient or outpatient settings.

Report the code for the leukocyte-removal treatment session, not by the number of cells removed. Documentation should identify the indication, the target cells, and the apheresis treatment performed. The 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, Medicare pays the highest-valued procedure in full and applies its standard reduction to the others. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service; 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 36511 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

36511 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$86.59
Alaska*Unavailable$123.21
ArizonaUnavailable$89.89
ArkansasUnavailable$86.02
AtlantaUnavailable$92.60
AustinUnavailable$92.08
BakersfieldUnavailable$92.81
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$94.84
BeaumontUnavailable$88.92
BrazoriaUnavailable$90.55

36511 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
36511 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 36511 rate is calculated

Each of 36511’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 · 36511

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 1.95Practice expense 0.65Malpractice 0.13

2.7300 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$91.18

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 36511

The CMS indicators that decide how 36511 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 36511

Leukocyte apheresis

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period000Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is 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.

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

36511 without 51 · national facility

$91.18

Leukocyte apheresis

36511-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$45.59

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

36511 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

36511 vs 36512 vs 36513 vs 36514 vs 36516: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 36511
    Leukocyte apheresis · 1.95 wRVU
    —
  • 36512
    Red cell apheresis · 1.95 wRVU
    —
  • 36513
    Platelet apheresis · 1.95 wRVU
    —
  • 36514
    Plasma exchange · 1.76 wRVU
    $714.45
  • 36516
    Therapeutic apheresis · 1.52 wRVU
    $2,227.84

How to choose

36512Red cell apheresis
Choose 36511 for white-cell removal and 36512 when the treatment targets red blood cells.
36513Platelet apheresis
Choose 36511 for white-cell removal; 36513 describes platelet-directed apheresis.
36514Plasma exchange
Choose 36511 when leukocytes are removed. Code 36514 is for plasma-directed apheresis.
36516Therapeutic apheresis
Code 36511 removes circulating white blood cells; 36516 identifies apheresis using selective adsorption.

Codes related to 36511

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

Codes related to 36511
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
36512Red cell apheresisTherapeutic apheresis directed at red blood cells rather than white blood cells.No office rate
36513Platelet apheresisTherapeutic apheresis directed at platelets rather than white blood cells.No office rate
36514Plasma exchangeTherapeutic apheresis directed at plasma rather than white blood cells.$620.16–$1,005.87
36516Therapeutic apheresisApheresis using selective adsorption rather than leukocyte removal.$1,916.85–$3,185.10

36511 billing questions

When should 36511 be chosen over 36512?

Use 36511 when the therapeutic apheresis removes white blood cells. Code 36512 describes treatment directed at red blood cells.

Is 36511 reported per treatment session or by volume removed?

Report the leukocyte-removal treatment session, not each volume or quantity of cells removed. The record should support that leukocytapheresis was performed.

Does 36511 include catheter placement?

The code identifies leukocyte apheresis, not vascular access placement. A separately performed catheter insertion is evaluated under the applicable access code and same-session payment rules.

Can modifier 50 be used for treatment through two access sites?

No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code; modifier 50 is not appropriate.

How are other procedures paid when performed in the same session?

Medicare pays the highest-valued procedure in full and applies the standard multiple-procedure reduction to the others. Same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included in the 0-day global period.

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 36511PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 4,498 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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