CPT code 33310: Heart exploration2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Alaska
Open surgical exploration of the heart without cardiopulmonary bypass, reported when the surgeon investigates a cardiac problem without performing a more definitive procedure.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 33310 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 33310 covers
The surgeon opens the chest and examines the heart directly to investigate a suspected cardiac problem, with or without removing a foreign body. This may occur in an operating room when findings from an injury or another urgent condition require direct inspection. The defining distinction is that cardiopulmonary bypass is not used; exploration performed with bypass belongs to the related code 33315. If the surgeon repairs a heart wound, the repair codes 33300 or 33305 may better describe the work performed.
Report 33310 when the operative record supports direct cardiac exploration without bypass, including the reason for exploration and the findings or foreign-body removal. It is major surgery with a 90-day global period, which includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. 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.
33310 in Alaska*
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska* | Unavailable | $1,409.97 |
How the 33310 rate is calculated
Each of 33310’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 · 33310
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work19.83
19.83 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense9.25
9.25 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice4.75
4.75 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
33.8300
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$1,129.95
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 33310
33310 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 33310
Heart exploration
| 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 · 33310
Heart exploration
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
33310 without 51 · national facility
$1,129.95
Heart exploration
33310-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$564.98
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%).
33310 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 33315Heart exploration
- The key distinction is use of cardiopulmonary bypass: 33310 is for exploration without bypass, while 33315 is for exploration with bypass.
- 33300Heart wound repair
- 33300 describes repair of a heart wound. Choose it when the operative work includes repairing the wound rather than exploration alone.
- 33305Heart wound repair
- 33305 is another heart-wound repair code. It describes repair work, whereas 33310 describes exploration without cardiopulmonary bypass.
33310 billing questions
How does 33310 differ from 33315?
33310 describes cardiac exploration without cardiopulmonary bypass. Use 33315 when the exploration is performed with bypass.
Should 33310 be reported when the surgeon repairs a heart wound?
If the surgeon performs a heart-wound repair, consider 33300 or 33305 according to the procedure performed. The operative report should distinguish exploration from definitive repair.
Can modifier 50 be used for 33310?
No. The CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply to this code, and modifier 50 is inappropriate.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
An assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeons are paid only when supporting documentation is provided.
How does the multiple-procedure reduction affect 33310?
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 50% reduction.
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
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