Billing code 34831: Aortic graft repairMedicare rate & RVUs in Oregon
Reports open conversion or repair of an infrarenal aortic aneurysm or dissection after endovascular repair, using a graft that extends to both iliac arteries.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 34831 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 34831 covers
This major open vascular operation repairs an infrarenal aortic aneurysm or dissection after prior endovascular aneurysm repair, using a bifurcated prosthetic graft with limbs extending to the iliac arteries. A vascular surgeon typically performs it in a hospital operating room when the aorta or prior endograft requires open surgical management. The graft configuration distinguishes this service from a tube graft or a graft extending to the femoral arteries.
Report the code when the operative record supports open repair following prior endovascular repair and documents the aorto-bi-iliac graft configuration. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this graft configuration. Assistant-at-surgery and co-surgeon payment may be allowed; team surgery payment 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 34831 pays more and less in Oregon
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Portland | Unavailable | $1,715.96 |
| Rest Of Oregon | Unavailable | $1,659.96 |
How the 34831 rate is calculated
Each of 34831’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 · 34831
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work37.03
37.03 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense6.07
6.07 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice9.42
9.42 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
52.5200
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$1,754.22
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 34831
34831 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 34831
Aortic graft 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) | 2 | Permitted. |
| 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 · 34831
Aortic graft 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
34831 without 51 · national facility
$1,754.22
Aortic graft repair
34831-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$877.11
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%).
34831 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
34831 vs 34830 vs 34832: Medicare rates
How to choose
- 34830Open aortic repair
- Choose 34830 for the post-endovascular open repair when the prosthesis is a tube graft between aortic segments, rather than a bifurcated graft extending to both iliac arteries.
- 34832Aortic aneurysm repair
- Choose 34832 when the graft limbs extend to the femoral arteries. Code 34831 describes the aorto-bi-iliac configuration.
34831 billing questions
How does this differ from 34830 or 34832?
All three describe open repair following endovascular repair, but the graft endpoint differs: 34830 uses a tube graft, 34831 extends to both iliac arteries, and 34832 extends to the femoral arteries.
How does 34831 differ from 34802?
Both describe an aorto-bi-iliac graft configuration. Code 34831 is for open repair following prior endovascular repair; 34802 describes the corresponding open repair without that prior endovascular repair circumstance.
Should modifier 50 be appended?
No. The graft configuration is represented by the code, and modifier 50 is inappropriate.
What documentation supports code selection?
The operative report should establish the prior endovascular repair, the open repair performed, and the graft’s aortic and bilateral iliac endpoints.
How does the 90-day global affect postoperative billing?
The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included in the global period.
Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be reported?
CMS permits payment for an assistant at surgery and co-surgeons. Team surgery payment 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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