Billing code 33536: CABGMedicare rate & RVUs in Georgia
Reports coronary artery bypass surgery using four or more arterial grafts, such as internal thoracic or radial artery conduits, for coronary revascularization.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 33536 in Georgia.
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 33536 covers
This code describes coronary artery bypass grafting with four or more arterial grafts. Cardiothoracic surgeons perform the operation, generally in a hospital operating room, to revascularize coronary arteries affected by obstructive disease. Arterial conduits may include an internal thoracic artery or a radial artery. The operative report should identify the conduits used and the number of arterial bypass grafts performed.
Select this code based on the arterial graft count, not the combined number of arterial and venous grafts. When venous grafts are also used, report the appropriate venous-graft add-on code with the arterial CABG code. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during the 90 days after surgery. For multiple procedures in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; co-surgeon and team-surgery payment are not permitted for this code.
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 33536 pays more and less in Georgia
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | Unavailable | $2,551.50 |
| Rest Of Georgia | Unavailable | $2,481.97 |
How the 33536 rate is calculated
Each of 33536’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 · 33536
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work47.22
47.22 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense14.80
14.80 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice11.65
11.65 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
73.6700
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$2,460.64
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 33536
33536 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 33536
CABG
| 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) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.09/0.82/0.09 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 33536
CABG
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
33536 without 51 · national facility
$2,460.64
CABG
33536-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$1,230.32
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%).
33536 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 33535Arterial CABG
- Use 33535 when the operation includes three arterial grafts. This code is for four or more arterial grafts.
- 33534Arterial CABG
- Use 33534 for two arterial grafts; this code requires four or more.
- 33513Coronary bypass
- 33513 describes CABG with four venous grafts. This code describes four or more arterial grafts, with venous grafts handled separately when present.
- 33521CABG grafting
- 33521 is an add-on for four venous grafts used with arterial CABG; it does not replace the primary arterial CABG code.
33536 billing questions
How many grafts qualify for this code?
Use it when the operative documentation supports four or more arterial bypass grafts. For fewer arterial grafts, select the corresponding lower-count arterial CABG code.
Do venous grafts count toward the four-graft threshold?
No. Select the arterial CABG code by the number of arterial grafts; report the appropriate venous-graft add-on code when venous grafts are also used.
What documentation supports reporting this code?
The operative report should identify the arterial conduits and document the number of arterial bypass grafts performed. It should also distinguish any venous grafts used during the operation.
How does the 90-day global period affect postoperative billing?
The day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care for 90 days after surgery are included in this code's global period.
Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available. Co-surgeon and team-surgery payment are not permitted for this code.
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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