Billing code 35531: Visceral bypassMedicare rate & RVUs in Oregon

Open vein-graft bypass from the aorta to a celiac or mesenteric artery to restore blood flow in selected visceral arterial occlusive disease.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 20262 payment localities28 Medicare services in 2024

CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 35531 in Oregon.

—Office (non-facility)
$1,672.65–$1,725.99Hospital or facility

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

We’ll open 35531 for the payment locality that covers the ZIP.

On this page 9 sections
  1. Rate in Oregon
  2. What 35531 covers
  3. By payment locality
  4. How it’s calculated
  5. Payment rules
  6. Similar codes
  7. Related codes
  8. Billing questions
  9. Sources

What 35531 covers

Code 35531 represents open arterial revascularization using a vein conduit from the aorta to either the celiac artery or a mesenteric artery. Vascular surgeons may use this configuration for visceral arterial occlusive disease, including chronic mesenteric ischemia, when restoring inflow to the affected territory is indicated. The operative report should identify the aortic inflow, the celiac or mesenteric outflow target, and the vein graft used; a different target vessel or conduit changes code selection.

Select the code based on the documented destination and vein conduit, with operative details supporting the graft route and anastomoses. CMS assigns a 90-day major-surgery global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. For a bilateral procedure reported with modifier 50, payment is at 150%. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeons require 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 35531 pays more and less in Oregon

35531 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
PortlandUnavailable$1,725.99
Rest Of OregonUnavailable$1,672.65

How the 35531 rate is calculated

Each of 35531’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 · 35531

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Work38.13

38.13 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense5.10

5.10 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice9.77

9.77 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

53.0000

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$1,770.25

Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 35531

35531 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 35531

Visceral bypass

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period090Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included.
Multiple procedures2Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%.
Bilateral (modifier 50)1Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)2Paid.
Co-surgeons (62)1Permitted with supporting documentation.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.09/0.84/0.07Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 35531

Visceral bypass

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.

  • 24Unrelated E/M visit by the same physician
  • 79Unrelated procedure (starts its own global period)
  • 58Staged, more extensive, or therapy procedure that was planned
  • 78Unplanned return to the operating room for a related complication
SurgeryVisit
Sep 23, 2026Jan 10, 2027

Pre-op dayGlobal period

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 50 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

35531 without 50 · national facility

$1,770.25

Visceral bypass

35531-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$2,655.38

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).

When to use modifier 50

35531 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

5 codes, side by side

  • 35531

    Visceral bypass38.13 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 35631

    Aortic bypass35.13 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 35535

    Renal artery bypass37.18 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 35536

    Arterial bypass32.89 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 35560

    Renal bypass33.18 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

35631Aortic bypass
Both codes describe an aortoceliac or aortomesenteric bypass. Choose 35531 for a vein conduit and 35631 for a conduit other than vein.
35535Renal artery bypass
35535 identifies a hepatorenal bypass, not a bypass from the aorta to the celiac or mesenteric artery.
35536Arterial bypass
35536 is for a splenorenal bypass. The destination vessels, rather than the general visceral revascularization purpose, distinguish it from 35531.
35560Renal bypass
35560 describes an aortorenal vein bypass. Use 35531 when the documented outflow target is celiac or mesenteric rather than renal.

35531 billing questions

How does 35531 differ from 35631?

35531 is for an aortoceliac or aortomesenteric bypass using a vein conduit. 35631 is the corresponding bypass category when the conduit is other than vein.

Which destination supports 35531?

The bypass must run from the aorta to the celiac artery or a mesenteric artery. The operative report should identify the actual inflow and outflow vessels.

What postoperative care is included?

The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.

How are other same-session procedures paid?

CMS pays the highest-valued procedure in full and other procedures at 50% when multiple procedures are performed in the same session.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

An assistant at surgery may be paid. 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
RVUs for 35531PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 4,349 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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