Billing code 33511: Coronary bypassMedicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Reports coronary artery bypass surgery using venous conduits for two coronary bypasses, when both bypasses use vein rather than an arterial graft.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 33511 in Texas.
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 33511 covers
This code describes coronary artery bypass surgery in which vein is used to create two bypasses around obstructed coronary arteries. The surgeon typically uses saphenous vein harvested from the leg and performs the bypass during open-heart surgery in a hospital operating room. The operative report should identify the bypassed coronary targets and the conduit used for each. If vein is harvested endoscopically, the harvest service may be reported separately with 33508 when supported by the operative documentation.
Select the code by the number of coronary bypasses performed with venous grafts; do not base the count solely on how much vein was harvested. This major surgery has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. The graft count is not a bilateral service, so modifier 50 is inappropriate. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeons and team surgery are 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 33511 pays more and less in Texas
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
8 of 8 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Austin | Unavailable | $1,987.07 |
| Beaumont | Unavailable | $1,933.75 |
| Brazoria | Unavailable | $1,932.78 |
| Dallas | Unavailable | $1,960.32 |
| Fort Worth | Unavailable | $1,960.01 |
| Galveston | Unavailable | $1,948.49 |
| Houston | Unavailable | $2,117.98 |
| Rest Of Texas | Unavailable | $1,942.61 |
How the 33511 rate is calculated
Each of 33511’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 · 33511
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 37.49Practice expense 12.97Malpractice 9.26
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 33511
33511 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 33511
Coronary bypass
| 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) | 0 | Not 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 · 33511
Coronary 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.
Pre-op dayGlobal period
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
33511 without 51 · national facility
$1,994.70
Coronary bypass
33511-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$997.35
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%).
33511 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
33511 vs 33510 vs 33512 vs 33518 vs 33533: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 33510Coronary bypass
- Use 33510 when one coronary bypass uses vein; 33511 represents two venous bypasses.
- 33512Coronary bypass
- Use 33512 when three coronary bypasses use vein; 33511 represents two.
- 33518CABG grafts
- 33518 represents two venous grafts in a CABG that also uses an arterial graft and is reported with an arterial CABG code. Use 33511 for two venous bypasses without that mixed-conduit structure.
- 33533Arterial CABG
- 33533 represents a single arterial bypass. It is not the code for two venous bypasses reported with 33511.
33511 billing questions
How does 33511 differ from 33510 and 33512?
These codes distinguish the number of coronary bypasses performed with vein: 33510 represents one, 33511 two, and 33512 three.
What if the operation uses both vein and an arterial graft?
Use the mixed-conduit coding structure rather than 33511 alone. Code 33518 represents two venous grafts when reported as an add-on to the appropriate arterial CABG code.
Can endoscopic vein harvesting be reported separately?
Code 33508 may be reported for endoscopic vein harvest performed for CABG when the operative documentation supports that service.
What documentation supports reporting two venous grafts?
The operative report should identify the coronary targets bypassed and show that two bypasses used venous conduits. Vein length or the amount harvested alone does not establish the bypass count.
Is modifier 50 appropriate, and what surgical modifiers are relevant?
Modifier 50 is inappropriate because the code counts coronary bypasses, not a bilateral service. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeons and team surgery are 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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