Billing code 33261: Heart ablationMedicare rate & RVUs in Alaska
Reports extensive open surgical ablation of a ventricular arrhythmogenic focus, including mapping and isolation, when the operative work exceeds a limited ablation.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 33261 in Alaska.
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 9 sections
What 33261 covers
This code covers extensive surgical treatment of a ventricular arrhythmogenic focus, with mapping and isolation of the tissue responsible for the dysrhythmia. Cardiac surgeons perform it in an operating room, typically for a patient undergoing open heart surgery or treatment of a difficult ventricular arrhythmia. The operative report should identify the ventricular focus and describe the mapping and ablation work that supports an extensive rather than limited procedure.
Select this code based on the extent of ventricular ablation documented, not simply the diagnosis or the presence of another cardiac operation. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care. 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 multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. 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.
33261 in Alaska*
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska* | Unavailable | $1,927.31 |
How the 33261 rate is calculated
Each of 33261’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 · 33261
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 28.20Practice expense 10.97Malpractice 6.75
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 33261
33261 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 33261
Heart ablation
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 090 | Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included. |
| Multiple procedures | 2 | Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 2 | Paid. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.09/0.84/0.07 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 33261
Heart ablation
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.
Pre-op dayGlobal period
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
33261 without 51 · national facility
$1,533.77
Heart ablation
33261-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$766.89
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%).
33261 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
33261 vs 93654 vs 33256: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 93654VT ablation
- 93654 describes catheter-based ventricular arrhythmia ablation. Code 33261 is for extensive surgical ablation of a ventricular focus.
- 33256Atrial ablation
- 33256 addresses extensive ablation and reconstruction of atrial tissue with cardiopulmonary bypass. Code 33261 concerns an extensive ventricular arrhythmogenic focus.
33261 billing questions
How does this differ from 33260?
Both codes describe ventricular focus ablation. Use 33261 when the operative documentation supports extensive ablation; 33260 is the limited ventricular procedure.
Does this code describe catheter ablation?
No. This code describes surgical ablation of a ventricular focus. Catheter-based ventricular arrhythmia ablation is represented by 93654.
Can modifier 50 be used for ablation on both sides?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code; modifier 50 is not appropriate.
May an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
CMS indicates that an assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeons are paid only when supporting documentation is provided; team surgery is not permitted.
What documentation supports the extensive code?
The operative report should identify the ventricular arrhythmogenic focus and describe the mapping, isolation, and extent of ablation that distinguish the work from a limited ventricular procedure.
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
Fee sheets
Put 33261 and the rest of your codes on one sheet
Build a fee sheet from your own code list at your locality, put your payer contracts beside Medicare, and see what changed each quarter.
Build my fee sheetOr price your code list free →