CPT code 36596: Catheter declotting2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Kentucky
Report 36596 for percutaneous mechanical removal of a thrombotic obstruction inside a central venous catheter or other central venous access device.
Medicare pays $107.32 for 36596 in the office in Kentucky (Kentucky). 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 36596 covers
This service uses a percutaneous mechanical technique to clear thrombus obstructing the lumen of a central venous access device. It may be performed when a tunneled central venous catheter, such as one used for dialysis or infusion therapy, is occluded by clot. The procedure can include fluoroscopic guidance when performed. It addresses the obstruction; it is distinct from removing or replacing the catheter itself.
Report 36596 when documentation supports a thrombotic intraluminal obstruction and mechanical removal. A record of the affected device, the obstructing clot, and the technique used supports code selection over treatment with a thrombolytic agent alone or removal of a nonthrombotic obstruction. CMS assigns a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When multiple procedures occur in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service, 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.
36596 in Kentucky
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | $107.32 | $39.32 |
How the 36596 rate is calculated
Each of 36596’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 · 36596
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.73
0.73 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense2.68
2.68 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.11
0.11 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
3.5200
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$117.57
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 36596
The CMS indicators that decide how 36596 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 36596
Catheter declotting
| 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
36596 without 51 · national office
$117.57
Catheter declotting
36596-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$58.79
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%).
36596 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 36595Catheter removal
- Choose 36596 for mechanical removal of thrombus within a central venous device. Choose 36595 when the mechanically removed intraluminal obstruction is nonthrombotic.
- 36593Device declot
- 36593 represents declotting with a thrombolytic agent. 36596 represents percutaneous mechanical removal of the thrombotic obstruction.
- 36589Catheter removal
- 36589 reports removal of a tunneled central venous catheter. 36596 reports clearing thrombus from the device while treating the obstruction rather than removing the catheter.
36596 billing questions
How does 36596 differ from 36595?
36596 is for mechanical removal of a thrombotic obstruction. 36595 is for mechanical removal of a nonthrombotic obstruction.
Is 36596 appropriate when a thrombolytic agent clears the catheter?
No. 36596 describes mechanical removal of thrombus; declotting by thrombolytic agent is represented by 36593.
Can catheter removal or replacement be reported instead?
Use a removal or replacement code when the catheter is taken out or exchanged. 36596 represents mechanical clearance of an obstruction, not removal or replacement of the device.
Is fluoroscopic guidance separately reported?
Fluoroscopic guidance is included in 36596 when performed; do not report it separately as guidance for this service.
Can modifier 50 or an assistant-at-surgery claim be used?
Modifier 50 is inappropriate for 36596. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service.
What documentation supports 36596?
Document the central venous access device, the thrombotic intraluminal obstruction, and the mechanical technique used to clear it.
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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