CPT 37185: Arterial thrombectomyMedicare rate & RVUs

Report for mechanical thrombectomy of an additional arterial vessel in the same vascular family during a primary thrombectomy session.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities6.6K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $458.93 for 37185 nationally in the office and $141.29 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $402.51–$608.44.

Medicare rate · 37185

Arterial thrombectomy

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
3.2
Total RVUs
13.74
Global days
ZZZ

National rate · 2026

$458.93

Office setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 37185 →

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 37185 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 37185 covers

This add-on represents catheter-based mechanical removal of thrombus from an additional artery in the same vascular family as the vessel treated primarily. Interventional radiologists and vascular surgeons commonly perform the work in an angiography suite or operating room. The thrombectomy may involve intraprocedural thrombolytic medication and fluoroscopic guidance as part of the service. The additional vessel must be distinct from the initial vessel treated under the primary thrombectomy service.

Report 37185 with the primary arterial thrombectomy code for the initial vessel, not as a stand-alone service. The operative or procedure report should identify the additional vessel and document mechanical thrombectomy there, along with the relationship to the primary treatment. CMS treats this as an add-on paid within the primary procedure's global period. The code is already priced as bilateral, so modifier 50 does not increase payment.

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 37185 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

$402.51 to $608.44

$402.51$505.48$608.44
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

37185 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
Alabama$408.83$130.90
Alaska*$525.12$186.83
Arizona$445.79$137.99
Arkansas$402.51$129.66
Atlanta$468.53$145.80
Austin$476.17$140.11
Bakersfield$485.16$137.02
Baltimore/Surr. Cntys$489.57$148.74
Beaumont$427.62$138.56
Brazoria$452.46$137.67

37185 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.

$402.51

$545.98

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

View every state and territory as a table
37185 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$525.121
AL$408.831
AR$402.511
AZ$445.791
CA$483.51–$608.4429
CO$477.161
CT$490.791
DC$526.081
DE$453.481
FL$454.22–$502.693
GA$426.82–$468.532
GU$496.161
HI$496.161
IA$418.801
ID$421.961
IL$441.11–$486.864
IN$424.541
KS$417.251
KY$420.361
LA$419.88–$442.002
MA$474.25–$525.622
MD$462.37–$526.083
ME$424.89–$448.672
MI$432.56–$460.822
MN$454.691
MO$412.55–$443.023
MS$407.591
MT$458.891
NC$429.551
ND$447.221
NE$421.081
NH$470.091
NJ$495.69–$520.182
NM$435.311
NV$455.971
NY$436.46–$545.475
OH$430.171
OK$418.971
OR$451.75–$492.482
PA$430.59–$478.282
PR$462.291
RI$469.801
SC$430.711
SD$445.841
TN$419.561
TX$427.62–$476.178
UT$436.981
VA$447.48–$526.082
VI$462.291
VT$445.871
WA$473.22–$536.112
WI$431.331
WV$423.891
WY$453.801

How the 37185 rate is calculated

Each of 37185’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 · 37185

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 3.20Practice expense 9.95Malpractice 0.59

13.7400 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$458.93

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 37185

The CMS indicators that decide how 37185 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 37185

Arterial thrombectomy

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global periodZZZAdd-on code: falls within the primary procedure’s global period.
Multiple procedures0No multiple-procedure reduction.
Bilateral (modifier 50)2Already bilateral by definition: paid once at 100%.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)1Not paid (statutory restriction).
Co-surgeons (62)2Permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.

37185 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

37185 vs 37184 vs 37186 vs 37187: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 37185
    Arterial thrombectomy · 3.2 wRVU
    $458.93
  • 37184
    Arterial thrombectomy · 8.2 wRVU
    $1,630.97+$1,172.04
  • 37186
    Arterial thrombectomy · 4.8 wRVU
    $1,157.34+$698.41
  • 37187
    Venous thrombectomy · 7.59 wRVU
    $1,600.24+$1,141.31

How to choose

37184Arterial thrombectomy
37184 covers the initial vessel treated with primary arterial mechanical thrombectomy. Use 37185 for an additional vessel in the same vascular family.
37186Arterial thrombectomy
37186 describes a secondary arterial thrombectomy service. Code 37185 is for primary mechanical thrombectomy in an additional vessel within the same vascular family.
37187Venous thrombectomy
37187 is for mechanical thrombectomy in the venous system; 37185 concerns an additional arterial vessel.

37185 billing questions

When should 37185 be reported instead of 37184?

Use 37184 for the initial arterial vessel treated with primary mechanical thrombectomy. Report 37185 for each qualifying additional vessel in the same vascular family.

Can 37185 be billed by itself?

No. It is an add-on and must be reported with the primary procedure for the initial vessel.

What documentation supports reporting an additional vessel?

The procedure report should identify the additional artery and document mechanical thrombectomy performed there, distinct from the initial vessel.

Should modifier 50 be appended for bilateral treatment?

The code is already priced as bilateral. Modifier 50 does not increase payment.

How does 37185 differ from 37186?

37185 identifies primary mechanical thrombectomy in an additional vessel within the same vascular family. Code 37186 describes a secondary arterial thrombectomy service rather than this additional-vessel primary service.

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 37185PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 4,580 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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