Billing code 36589: Catheter removalMedicare rate & RVUs in Illinois
Removal of a tunneled central venous catheter without a subcutaneous port or pump, such as when access is no longer needed or the catheter is infected.
Medicare pays $165.91–$182.40 for 36589 in the office in Illinois, from Rest Of Illinois to Chicago. 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 36589 covers
This service removes a tunneled central venous catheter that has no implanted port or pump. A surgeon, interventional radiologist, or other qualified clinician typically frees the catheter cuff and withdraws the catheter through an incision at the exit site. Common situations include removal of a tunneled dialysis catheter after treatment ends, or removal of a tunneled line because of infection or malfunction. The procedure may take place in a hospital, ambulatory setting, or procedural suite.
Report this code when the service is removal alone; identify the catheter type and document the reason for removal and the work performed. For a complete catheter exchange, use the applicable replacement code rather than reporting removal alone. Medicare assigns a 10-day global period, which includes related postoperative visits during that period. 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. 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 36589 pays more and less in Illinois
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
4 payment localities
$165.91 to $182.40
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $182.40 | $141.11 |
| East St. Louis | $171.75 | $133.95 |
| Rest Of Illinois | $165.91 | $128.41 |
| Suburban Chicago | $178.05 | $135.86 |
How the 36589 rate is calculated
Each of 36589’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 · 36589
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work2.22
2.22 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense2.41
2.41 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.35
0.35 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
4.9800
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$166.34
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 36589
36589 has a 10-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 36589
Catheter removal
| 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 · 36589
Catheter removal
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
36589 without 51 · national office
$166.34
Catheter removal
36589-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$83.17
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%).
36589 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 36590Port removal
- Choose 36589 for removal of a tunneled catheter without a port or pump. Choose 36590 when the removed device has a subcutaneous port or pump.
- 36578Catheter replacement
- Code 36589 represents removal alone. Code 36578 represents complete replacement of a tunneled catheter without a port or pump.
- 36575Catheter repair
- Code 36575 is for repairing a tunneled catheter that remains in place; 36589 is for removing the catheter.
36589 billing questions
How is this different from 36590?
Code 36589 is for removing a tunneled catheter without a subcutaneous port or pump. Code 36590 is the removal code to consider when the device includes a port or pump.
Should removal be reported separately during a catheter exchange?
For a complete catheter exchange, use the applicable replacement code rather than reporting 36589 as removal alone.
Does the code include related postoperative visits?
Yes. Medicare assigns a 10-day global period that includes related postoperative visits during those 10 days.
Can modifier 50 be used for removal on both sides?
No. The CMS facts specify that bilateral adjustment does not apply and modifier 50 is inappropriate for this service.
When is assistant-at-surgery payment allowed?
Medicare pays an assistant at surgery only when the record documents medical necessity. Co-surgeons and team surgery are 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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