Billing code 37718: Vein strippingMedicare rate & RVUs in Delaware
Reports open ligation, division, and stripping of the short saphenous vein as surgical treatment for varicose venous disease involving that trunk.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 37718 in Delaware.
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 37718 covers
This service involves surgically tying off and dividing the short, or small, saphenous vein and removing the vein by stripping. Vascular surgeons and other surgeons who treat lower-extremity venous disease typically perform it in an operating-room setting for varicose disease involving this superficial trunk. The operative report should identify the short saphenous vein and document the ligation, division, and stripping performed.
Choose this code for stripping of the short saphenous trunk, not the long saphenous trunk or isolated removal of tributary varicosities. The code has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For bilateral surgery, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery; 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.
37718 in Delaware
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Delaware | Unavailable | $357.10 |
How the 37718 rate is calculated
Each of 37718’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 · 37718
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work6.95
6.95 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense2.15
2.15 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.76
1.76 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
10.8600
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$362.73
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 37718
37718 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 37718
Vein stripping
| 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) | 1 | Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 1 | Not paid (statutory restriction). |
| 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 · 37718
Vein stripping
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 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
37718 without 50 · national facility
$362.73
Vein stripping
37718-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$544.10
Both sides on one line with modifier 50 are paid at 150% of the fee schedule amount (subject to multiple-procedure rules with other procedures).
37718 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 37722Vein stripping
- Use 37722 when the long (greater) saphenous vein is stripped; this code identifies the short (small) saphenous vein.
- 37700Saphenous vein ligation
- Code 37700 describes ligation and division of the long saphenous vein, rather than stripping of the short saphenous vein.
- 37765Stab phlebectomy
- Code 37765 describes stab phlebectomy of 10–20 varicose veins in one extremity, not stripping of the short saphenous trunk.
- 37766Stab phlebectomy
- Code 37766 describes stab phlebectomy of more than 20 varicose veins in one extremity, not short saphenous trunk stripping.
37718 billing questions
How do I distinguish this from 37722?
This code is for stripping the short (small) saphenous vein. Code 37722 is for stripping the long (greater) saphenous vein.
Does this code include removal of tributary varicosities?
It describes stripping the short saphenous trunk. Stab phlebectomy of tributary varicosities is a different service, represented by codes such as 37765 or 37766 when performed and documented.
How is bilateral short saphenous stripping reported?
Report modifier 50 for bilateral surgery; CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.
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?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code. Co-surgeons are paid only with supporting documentation; team surgery is 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
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