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Billing code 37200: Catheter biopsyMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports tissue sampling performed through a catheter, commonly a transjugular liver biopsy when a standard percutaneous approach is unsuitable.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities3.2K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $185.04 for 37200 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 37200

Catheter biopsy

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
4.44
Total RVUs
5.54
Global days
000

National rate · 2026

$185.04

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 37200 → · 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 37200 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 37200 covers

This code covers obtaining tissue with a biopsy device advanced through a catheter to the target site. A common application is transjugular liver biopsy, performed by an interventional radiologist when ascites or bleeding risk makes a standard percutaneous route unsuitable. The procedure is typically performed in a hospital or outpatient imaging suite with imaging used to guide the catheter and sampling device.

Select the code when the documented service is catheter-based tissue sampling, rather than direct needle biopsy through the skin. Record the target, vascular route, sampling performed, and relevant imaging. Radiological supervision and interpretation are represented separately by 75970 when that service is performed and documented. CMS assigns a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate; assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted, and co-surgeon and team-surgery billing 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 37200 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

37200 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$175.49
Alaska*Unavailable$253.34
ArizonaUnavailable$182.09
ArkansasUnavailable$174.35
AtlantaUnavailable$189.04
AustinUnavailable$184.71
BakersfieldUnavailable$183.58
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$192.73
BeaumontUnavailable$182.04
BrazoriaUnavailable$182.51

37200 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
37200 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 37200 rate is calculated

Each of 37200’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 · 37200

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 4.44Practice expense 0.62Malpractice 0.48

5.5400 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$185.04

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 37200

The CMS indicators that decide how 37200 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 37200

Catheter biopsy

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

37200 without 51 · national facility

$185.04

Catheter biopsy

37200-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$92.52

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

37200 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

37200 vs 47000 vs 75970: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 37200
    Catheter biopsy · 4.44 wRVU
    —
  • 47000
    Liver biopsy · 1.61 wRVU
    $287.92
  • 75970
    · 0 wRVU
    —

How to choose

47000Liver biopsy
This code is for tissue sampling through a catheter, often by a transjugular route. Code 47000 describes percutaneous needle biopsy of the liver.
75970Vascular biopsy
Code 37200 reports the catheter-based biopsy procedure; 75970 represents the radiological supervision and interpretation service.

Codes related to 37200

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

Codes related to 37200
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Often billed with
75970Vascular biopsyRadiological supervision and interpretation for transcatheter biopsy, when performed and documented.No office rate
36011Venous catheterizationSelective venous catheter placement may accompany a transjugular biopsy when separately reportable.$679.87–$1,077.25
Used instead
47000Liver biopsyUsed for percutaneous needle biopsy of the liver rather than catheter-based tissue sampling.$252.95–$392.18

37200 billing questions

When should this code be used instead of a percutaneous liver biopsy code?

Use this code for tissue sampling performed with a catheter-based approach, such as transjugular liver biopsy. A needle passed directly through the skin is a different method and is not reported with this code.

Is radiological supervision and interpretation included?

Code 75970 represents the radiological supervision and interpretation service for transcatheter biopsy. Report it when that service is performed and documented.

Can modifier 50 be used for biopsies on both sides?

No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code.

How does the multiple-procedure reduction affect another procedure in the session?

When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others are subject to the standard 50% reduction.

Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be billed?

Assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted for this code. Co-surgeons and team surgery are 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 37200PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 4,589 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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