Billing code 37244: Vascular embolizationMedicare rate & RVUs in Florida
Reports catheter-based embolization to control arterial or venous bleeding or a lymphatic leak, including the imaging guidance and procedural imaging services needed for treatment.
Medicare pays $5,885.97–$6,415.09 for 37244 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 37244 covers
An interventional radiologist or vascular specialist uses catheter-based techniques to block a bleeding artery or vein, or a leaking lymphatic vessel. Typical cases include embolization of a vessel responsible for gastrointestinal bleeding, control of pelvic arterial bleeding after trauma, or treatment of a lymphatic leak. The procedure is generally performed in a hospital angiography or interventional radiology suite. The code includes the radiological supervision and interpretation, intraprocedural roadmapping, and imaging guidance needed to complete the embolization.
Select this code when the treatment addresses hemorrhage or a lymphatic leak; the indication distinguishes it from embolization for other purposes. The procedure report should identify the bleeding or leaking site, target vessel or vessels, clinical indication, and embolization performed. CMS assigns a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. 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. Assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted, and 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 37244 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
$5885.97 to $6415.09
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Lauderdale | $6,221.22 | $608.31 |
| Miami | $6,415.09 | $647.03 |
| Rest Of Florida | $5,885.97 | $588.90 |
How the 37244 rate is calculated
Each of 37244’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 · 37244
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 13.41Practice expense 167.90Malpractice 1.53
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 37244
The CMS indicators that decide how 37244 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 37244
Vascular embolization
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 000 | Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is 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) | 1 | Not paid (statutory restriction). |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
37244 without 51 · national office
$6,107.02
Vascular embolization
37244-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$3,053.51
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%).
37244 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
37244 vs 37241 vs 37242 vs 37243: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 37241Venous embolization
- 37241 addresses venous embolization for indications other than hemorrhage. Use 37244 when the venous target is treated for bleeding or a lymphatic leak.
- 37242Arterial embolization
- 37242 covers arterial embolization for indications other than hemorrhage or tumor. Hemorrhage treatment belongs under 37244.
- 37243Embolization
- 37243 is for embolization related to a tumor, organ ischemia, or infarction. Choose 37244 when the treatment indication is hemorrhage or a lymphatic leak.
37244 billing questions
How does this code differ from 37242?
Use 37244 for embolization to treat hemorrhage or a lymphatic leak. Code 37242 is for arterial embolization for a purpose other than hemorrhage or tumor.
Are angiographic imaging and guidance separately reported?
The code includes the radiological supervision and interpretation, intraprocedural roadmapping, and imaging guidance needed to complete the embolization.
Should modifier 50 be appended for treatment on both sides?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code.
What documentation supports reporting 37244?
Document the hemorrhage or lymphatic leak, its site and target vessel or vessels, and the embolization performed. The indication should support treatment of bleeding or a leak rather than another embolization purpose.
How does the multiple-procedure reduction affect payment?
For procedures performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction.
Can an assistant, co-surgeon, or surgical team be reported?
CMS restricts assistant-at-surgery payment for this code and does not permit co-surgeons or team surgery.
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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