Billing code 33279: Lead removalMedicare rate & RVUs in Guam
Reports removal of the transvenous electrode array from an implanted phrenic nerve stimulation system, without removal of the complete system.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 33279 in Guam.
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 33279 covers
This service involves extracting the transvenous electrode array used to stimulate the phrenic nerve; it is distinct from removing the pulse generator or the complete implanted system. A cardiologist, electrophysiologist, or other qualified physician may perform it in a cardiac catheterization or electrophysiology laboratory, or an operating room. The device is used to treat central sleep apnea, and lead removal may be needed for a lead problem or as part of device management.
Report 33279 when the transvenous electrode array is removed, and document the lead removal and the device components addressed. Use the code for the actual lead service rather than generator-only or complete-system removal. The service has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. 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. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service; 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.
33279 in Hawaii, Guam
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii, Guam | Unavailable | $302.70 |
How the 33279 rate is calculated
Each of 33279’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 · 33279
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work5.28
5.28 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense2.67
2.67 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.29
1.29 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
9.2400
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$308.62
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 33279
33279 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 33279
Lead removal
| 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) | 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. |
| 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 · 33279
Lead removal
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
33279 without 51 · national facility
$308.62
Lead removal
33279-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$154.31
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%).
33279 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 33278Stimulator removal
- 33278 is for removal of the complete stimulator system. Use 33279 when the service removes the transvenous electrode array rather than the complete system.
- 33280Stimulator removal
- 33280 describes removal of the pulse generator alone. 33279 describes removal of the transvenous electrode array.
- 33281Lead repositioning
- 33281 is for repositioning a previously implanted transvenous electrode array. 33279 is for removing the array.
- 33288Lead exchange
- 33288 describes removal and replacement of the transvenous electrode array; 33279 describes removal without replacement as part of that service.
33279 billing questions
When should 33279 be reported instead of 33278?
Use 33279 for removal of the transvenous electrode array. Code 33278 describes removal of the complete phrenic nerve stimulator system, including its generator and lead or leads.
How does 33279 differ from generator-only removal?
33279 represents removal of the transvenous electrode array. If only the pulse generator is removed, use 33280 instead.
Is 33279 appropriate when the lead is repositioned?
No. Repositioning a previously implanted transvenous electrode array is described by 33281; 33279 is for removal.
What documentation supports 33279?
Document removal of the transvenous phrenic nerve stimulator electrode array and identify which device components were addressed. The record should distinguish lead removal from generator-only or complete-system removal.
Can modifier 50 or an assistant-at-surgery claim be used?
Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this service. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for 33279.
How is 33279 paid with another procedure in the same session?
Under the standard multiple procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures in that session are subject to a 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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