Billing code 34812: Femoral exposureMedicare rate & RVUs in Oregon
Open femoral artery exposure provides groin access for delivery of an endovascular prosthesis during a qualifying aortic or iliac repair.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 34812 in Oregon.
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 34812 covers
This service is an open exposure of a femoral artery through a groin incision to provide access for delivery of an endovascular prosthesis. It is typically performed by a vascular surgeon during endovascular aortic or iliac aneurysm repair when surgical exposure is needed instead of percutaneous access. The exposure supports passage of the endograft delivery system into the artery; it is not the endovascular repair itself.
Report 34812 only with an eligible primary procedure, such as endovascular repair of an infrarenal aortic aneurysm. The operative record should support the open femoral exposure and identify the side or sides and the role of the access in prosthesis delivery. CMS treats this as an add-on paid within the primary procedure’s global period. For bilateral exposure, CMS pays 150% when modifier 50 is reported.
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 34812 pays more and less in Oregon
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Portland | Unavailable | $180.04 |
| Rest Of Oregon | Unavailable | $174.66 |
How the 34812 rate is calculated
Each of 34812’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 · 34812
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work4.03
4.03 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense0.47
0.47 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.04
1.04 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
5.5400
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$185.04
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 34812
The CMS indicators that decide how 34812 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 34812
Femoral exposure
| 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) | 1 | Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 2 | Paid. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 2 | Permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
34812 without 50 · national facility
$185.04
Femoral exposure
34812-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$277.56
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).
34812 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 34705Aortic endograft repair
- 34705 describes the primary endovascular aortic repair. Report 34812 as an add-on only when open femoral exposure is also performed for prosthesis delivery.
- 34820Iliac exposure
- Use 34812 for open femoral artery exposure through a groin incision; 34820 describes open iliac artery exposure through a retroperitoneal incision.
- 34833Iliac access
- 34833 describes open iliac exposure with creation of a conduit. 34812 describes femoral exposure and does not represent conduit creation.
34812 billing questions
When is 34812 reported instead of percutaneous access?
Report it when the surgeon performs an open groin exposure of the femoral artery to deliver an endovascular prosthesis. Percutaneous arterial access alone does not describe this service.
Can 34812 be billed by itself?
No. It is an add-on and must be reported with an eligible primary procedure involving endovascular prosthesis delivery.
How is bilateral femoral exposure reported?
Report modifier 50 for bilateral performance. CMS pays the code at 150% when modifier 50 is used.
What documentation supports 34812?
Document the open femoral artery exposure, the side or sides, and that the exposure provided access for delivery of the endovascular prosthesis.
How does 34812 differ from 34820?
34812 describes open femoral artery exposure through a groin incision. 34820 is used for open iliac artery exposure through a retroperitoneal incision.
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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