CPT code 33257: Atrial ablation2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Oklahoma
Reports limited surgical ablation of atrial tissue during another cardiac operation that uses cardiopulmonary bypass, as an add-on service.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 33257 in Oklahoma.
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 33257 covers
A cardiac surgeon performs a limited set of lesion-forming or reconstructive steps on atrial tissue during another cardiac operation that uses cardiopulmonary bypass. The service is commonly considered when atrial fibrillation is addressed during open cardiac surgery, such as a valve operation. The operative report should distinguish the atrial ablation from the primary cardiac procedure and describe the work performed.
Report 33257 only with a qualifying primary procedure from the same operative session; it is not a stand-alone service. Select the limited-extent code when the documented lesion work is limited rather than extensive, and confirm that cardiopulmonary bypass was used. CMS identifies this as an add-on code and handles its payment within the primary procedure's global period. The operative documentation should support the atrial work, its extent, bypass use, and the related primary operation.
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.
33257 in Oklahoma
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | Unavailable | $532.78 |
How the 33257 rate is calculated
Each of 33257’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 · 33257
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work9.39
9.39 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense5.32
5.32 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice2.33
2.33 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
17.0400
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$569.15
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 33257
The CMS indicators that decide how 33257 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 33257
Atrial ablation
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | ZZZ | Add-on code: falls within the primary procedure’s global period. |
| Multiple procedures | 0 | No multiple-procedure reduction. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 2 | Paid. |
| 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 80 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
33257 without 80 · national facility
$569.15
Atrial ablation
33257-80 · Assistant: 16%
$91.06
A physician assistant at surgery is paid 16% of the surgeon’s fee schedule amount.
33257 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 33256Atrial ablation
- Use 33257 for limited atrial ablation with bypass; 33256 represents extensive atrial work with bypass.
- 33259Atrial ablation
- 33259 is the add-on option for extensive atrial ablation with bypass; 33257 is for limited work.
- 33258Atrial ablation
- 33258 describes extensive atrial ablation without bypass, while 33257 is limited work performed with bypass.
- 33265Atrial ablation
- 33265 describes limited atrial ablation performed endoscopically; 33257 is the limited add-on option associated with cardiopulmonary bypass.
33257 billing questions
Can 33257 be reported by itself?
No. It is an add-on code and must be reported with a qualifying primary cardiac procedure performed in the same operative session.
How is 33257 different from 33256?
Both describe atrial ablation with cardiopulmonary bypass, but 33257 is for limited work and 33256 is for extensive work.
What documentation supports 33257?
The operative report should identify the atrial ablation, describe its limited extent, document cardiopulmonary bypass, and identify the primary cardiac procedure performed in the session.
Is the ablation reported by lesion count?
Choose the code by the documented extent of the atrial work, not by treating each lesion as a separate service.
How does CMS handle payment for this add-on?
CMS treats 33257 as an add-on reported with a primary procedure and places its payment within that procedure's global period.
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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