Billing code 36578: Catheter replacementMedicare rate & RVUs in Florida
Reports complete replacement of a tunneled central venous catheter without a port or pump, using the same venous access, in a patient younger than five.
Medicare pays $433.62–$482.01 for 36578 in the office in Florida, from Rest Of Florida to Miami. Which amount applies depends on the service address.
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 36578 covers
This code covers complete replacement of a tunneled centrally inserted central venous catheter that has no implanted port or pump, when the patient is younger than five years and the existing venous access is used. It may describe exchange of a tunneled catheter such as a Broviac or Hickman line. A surgeon or interventional radiologist commonly performs the procedure in a hospital or other procedural setting. The key distinction is replacement through the same venous access, rather than placement at a new access site or replacement of a PICC or implanted port.
Report the code for the completed exchange, documenting the patient’s age, the catheter’s tunneled status and device type, and use of the same venous access. Related postoperative visits are included in the 10-day global period. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity; co-surgeons and team surgery 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 36578 pays more and less in Florida
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
3 payment localities
$433.62 to $482.01
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Lauderdale | $457.75 | $207.37 |
| Miami | $482.01 | $224.71 |
| Rest Of Florida | $433.62 | $197.32 |
How the 36578 rate is calculated
Each of 36578’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 · 36578
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work3.21
3.21 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense9.20
9.20 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.65
0.65 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
13.0600
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$436.22
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 36578
36578 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 36578
Catheter replacement
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 010 | Minor procedure: the day of the procedure plus 10 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) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.10/0.80/0.10 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 36578
Catheter replacement
10-day global period ends
Oct 11, 2026
Covers Oct 1, 2026 through Oct 11, 2026 (11 days).
Visit on Oct 31, 2026
After the global period ends: visits and procedures are billed normally.
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
36578 without 51 · national office
$436.22
Catheter replacement
36578-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$218.11
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%).
36578 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 36581Catheter replacement
- The replacement method and device type are the same; the age distinction separates the codes. Use 36578 for patients younger than five and 36581 for patients five and older.
- 36580Central catheter replacement
- 36580 is for replacement of a non-tunneled centrally inserted catheter. This code is for a tunneled catheter without a port or pump.
- 36582Device replacement
- 36582 applies to replacement of a tunneled central access device with a subcutaneous port. This code is for a tunneled catheter without a port or pump.
- 36575Catheter repair
- 36575 describes repair of a tunneled catheter. Choose this code when the catheter is completely replaced through the same venous access.
36578 billing questions
Can this be reported for a new catheter placed at a different site?
No. This replacement code is for an exchange using the same venous access. A new-site placement is not the same-access replacement described by this code.
Is replacement of a catheter with an implanted port included?
No. This code is for a tunneled catheter without a subcutaneous port or pump. Replacement of a device with a port is represented by a different code.
When is repair more appropriate than replacement?
Use a repair code when the existing tunneled catheter is repaired rather than completely replaced. Document whether the service repaired the catheter or exchanged it.
What documentation supports reporting this code?
Document the patient’s age, that the catheter is tunneled and has no port or pump, that a complete replacement was performed, and that the same venous access was used.
Can modifier 50 or an assistant-at-surgery modifier be used?
Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. Assistant-at-surgery payment is available only when medical necessity is documented.
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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