Billing code 33780: Transposition repairMedicare rate & RVUs in Massachusetts
Open congenital cardiac repair for transposition with a ventricular septal defect, combining pulmonary outflow reconstruction and septal closure during one operation.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 33780 in Massachusetts.
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 33780 covers
This code describes open repair of transposition of the great arteries with a ventricular septal defect and pulmonary outflow reconstruction. In a typical Rastelli-type repair, a congenital cardiac surgeon directs left ventricular blood through an intraventricular pathway toward the aorta and reconstructs the route from the right ventricle to the pulmonary arteries, often using a conduit. The operation is performed in a hospital operating room for complex congenital heart disease; the operative report should identify the transposition anatomy, VSD, and reconstructive work performed.
Report the code for the complete operation, not separately for its septal closure and outflow reconstruction elements. Documentation should establish that both the VSD closure and pulmonary outflow reconstruction were performed. It has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care for 90 days. When other procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is not appropriate for this single congenital cardiac repair. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is 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 33780 pays more and less in Massachusetts
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Boston | Unavailable | $2,283.00 |
| Rest Of Massachusetts | Unavailable | $2,157.77 |
How the 33780 rate is calculated
Each of 33780’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 · 33780
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 42.80Practice expense 11.88Malpractice 10.80
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 33780
33780 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 33780
Transposition repair
| 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) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| 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 · 33780
Transposition repair
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
33780 without 51 · national facility
$2,187.09
Transposition repair
33780-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$1,093.55
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%).
33780 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
33780 vs 33779 vs 33781 vs 33776 vs 33782: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 33779Arterial switch repair
- This code includes VSD closure with pulmonary outflow reconstruction. Code 33779 identifies the related reconstruction that includes removal of a pulmonary artery band.
- 33781Transposition repair
- Code 33781 is distinguished by repair of subpulmonary obstruction as part of the transposition reconstruction. Choose based on the documented operative work.
- 33776Atrial switch repair
- Code 33776 describes a transposition repair using an atrial baffle with VSD closure. This code represents pulmonary outflow reconstruction with VSD closure.
- 33782Nikaidoh repair
- Code 33782 is for a Nikaidoh operation, a different anatomic approach to transposition repair; it is not a substitute based only on the presence of a VSD.
33780 billing questions
How is this different from code 33779?
Code 33780 describes transposition repair with VSD closure and pulmonary outflow reconstruction. Code 33779 distinguishes a reconstruction that includes removal of a pulmonary artery band.
Can the VSD closure be billed separately?
No. The VSD closure is part of the operation represented by this code when performed with the pulmonary outflow reconstruction.
Should modifier 50 be appended?
No. This is a single intracardiac congenital repair, not a bilateral procedure.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery services may be paid. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted.
What documentation supports code selection?
The operative report should document transposition, the VSD, closure of the defect, and reconstruction of the pulmonary outflow tract.
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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