Billing code 33985: ECMO cannula removalMedicare rate & RVUs in Kentucky
Reports open removal of central cannulae after ECMO or ECLS support, when the patient is ready to be decannulated from central access.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 33985 in Kentucky.
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 33985 covers
This service covers open removal of central cannulae used for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation or extracorporeal life support. It is typically performed by a cardiac or cardiothoracic surgeon when support ends and the central cannulae, such as those placed in the heart or great vessels, can be removed. Central access is distinct from peripheral access, such as cannulation through a femoral vessel.
Select the code based on central cannula removal by the open approach, not the original cannulation site alone. The operative report should identify the cannulae removed, their central location, the open approach, and the decannulation performed. The service has a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When other procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires medical-necessity documentation; co-surgeon and team-surgery payment require supporting documentation.
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.
33985 in Kentucky
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | Unavailable | $456.14 |
How the 33985 rate is calculated
Each of 33985’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 · 33985
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 9.64Practice expense 2.13Malpractice 2.32
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 33985
The CMS indicators that decide how 33985 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 33985
ECMO cannula removal
| 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) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| Team surgery (66) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
33985 without 51 · national facility
$470.62
ECMO cannula removal
33985-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$235.31
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%).
33985 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
33985 vs 33984 vs 33986 vs 33946 vs 33947: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 33984ECMO cannula removal
- Choose 33984 for removal of peripheral ECMO/ECLS cannulae. Choose 33985 for open removal of central cannulae.
- 33986ECMO cannula removal
- Both codes concern central ECMO/ECLS cannula removal; 33985 is the open approach, while 33986 is the percutaneous approach.
- 33946ECMO initiation
- 33946 reports ECMO/ECLS initiation, not removal of cannulae when support ends.
- 33947ECMO initiation
- 33947 is an ECMO/ECLS initiation service; use 33985 for open removal of central cannulae.
33985 billing questions
How do I distinguish this from 33984?
Code 33985 is for open removal of central ECMO/ECLS cannulae. Code 33984 is for removal of peripheral cannulae.
How does 33986 differ?
33986 describes central cannula removal by a percutaneous approach. Use 33985 for open removal.
Can modifier 50 be used when more than one cannula is removed?
No. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this service; removal of multiple cannulae does not make it a bilateral procedure.
What documentation supports reporting 33985?
Document that the cannulae were used for ECMO/ECLS, their central location, and that they were removed through an open approach. The operative note should describe the decannulation performed.
How are other procedures in the same session handled?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures in the session are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction. Same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included in this code's 0-day global period.
What documentation is needed for assistant or team payment?
Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity. Co-surgeon and team-surgery payment require supporting documentation.
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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