Billing code 35261: Vessel repairMedicare rate & RVUs in Nevada
Reports open reconstruction of a neck blood vessel using a graft other than a vein, such as when vessel damage requires graft repair.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 35261 in Nevada.
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 35261 covers
A surgeon uses this service to reconstruct a blood vessel in the neck with a graft made from material other than a vein. A carotid artery repair using a non-vein graft is a representative situation. The work is typically performed in an operating room by a vascular surgeon or another surgeon managing a neck vascular injury or defect. The operative report should identify the vessel, the neck location, and the graft used.
Choose this code when the neck vessel repair requires a non-vein graft, rather than direct vessel repair or a vein graft. The documentation should support the graft-based reconstruction and distinguish it from other repairs performed during the same session. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be allowed; 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.
35261 in Nevada**
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Nevada** | Unavailable | $871.22 |
How the 35261 rate is calculated
Each of 35261’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 · 35261
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 18.49Practice expense 3.65Malpractice 4.73
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 35261
35261 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 35261
Vessel 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) | 1 | Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount. |
| 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 · 35261
Vessel 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 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
35261 without 50 · national facility
$897.48
Vessel repair
35261-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$1,346.22
Both sides on one line with modifier 50 are paid at 150% of the fee schedule amount (subject to multiple-procedure rules with other procedures).
35261 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
35261 vs 35201 vs 35231 vs 35266: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 35201Vessel repair
- 35201 describes direct neck-vessel repair without a graft. Choose 35261 when the neck vessel is reconstructed using a graft other than a vein.
- 35231Vascular repair
- Both involve graft repair of a neck vessel, but 35231 specifies a vein graft. Use 35261 for a graft other than a vein.
- 35266Vessel repair
- 35266 is the corresponding non-vein graft repair for a vessel in the upper extremity. The repaired vessel's location determines whether 35261 or 35266 applies.
35261 billing questions
How does this differ from 35231?
Both codes describe graft repair of a neck blood vessel. Use 35261 for a graft other than a vein; 35231 is for a vein graft.
When is 35201 a better fit?
Use 35201 for direct repair of a neck blood vessel without graft reconstruction. Use 35261 when the documented repair uses a non-vein graft.
What should the operative report document?
Document the neck vessel repaired, the need for graft reconstruction, and that the graft material was other than a vein. The report should also distinguish the repair from any separate procedures performed in the same session.
How does the 90-day global period affect follow-up billing?
The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included in the global period. Unrelated services require documentation supporting their separate nature.
How are multiple procedures and bilateral repairs handled?
For multiple procedures in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others are subject to the standard 50% reduction. CMS pays bilateral reporting with modifier 50 at 150%.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be allowed. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; team surgery is 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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