Billing code 33533: Arterial CABGMedicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Reports coronary artery bypass surgery using one arterial graft, such as an internal thoracic artery graft to bypass a diseased coronary artery.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 33533 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 33533 covers
A cardiac surgeon uses an arterial conduit to route blood around a coronary artery blockage. A common example is an internal thoracic artery graft to the left anterior descending artery. The operation is typically performed in a hospital operating room for a patient with coronary artery disease requiring surgical revascularization. This code represents the bypass operation, not simply conduit harvesting.
Select this code when the operation uses one arterial graft; use the arterial CABG family’s higher-level codes when more arterial grafts are used. If venous grafting is also performed, the applicable combined arterial-venous code is reported with the arterial CABG code. The operative report should identify the graft type and number, bypassed vessels, and completed procedure. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. Assistant-at-surgery services 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 33533 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 | $1,751.58 |
| Beaumont | Unavailable | $1,703.77 |
| Brazoria | Unavailable | $1,703.46 |
| Dallas | Unavailable | $1,727.67 |
| Fort Worth | Unavailable | $1,727.33 |
| Galveston | Unavailable | $1,717.27 |
| Houston | Unavailable | $1,866.08 |
| Rest Of Texas | Unavailable | $1,711.81 |
How the 33533 rate is calculated
Each of 33533’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 · 33533
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 32.91Practice expense 11.59Malpractice 8.13
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 33533
33533 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 33533
Arterial CABG
| 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) | 0.09/0.82/0.09 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 33533
Arterial CABG
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
33533 without 51 · national facility
$1,757.89
Arterial CABG
33533-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$878.95
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%).
33533 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
33533 vs 33534 vs 33510 vs 33517: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 33534Arterial CABG
- Choose 33534 when two arterial grafts are used; 33533 represents one arterial graft.
- 33510Coronary bypass
- 33510 represents CABG using a single venous graft. Use 33533 for a single arterial graft.
- 33517Combined CABG
- 33517 accounts for the venous graft portion of combined arterial-venous CABG; it is reported with the applicable arterial CABG code.
33533 billing questions
When should this code be chosen instead of 33534?
Use 33533 when one arterial graft is used for CABG. Code 33534 represents CABG using two arterial grafts.
Can this code be reported when venous grafting is also performed?
Yes. Report the applicable combined arterial-venous CABG code, such as 33517 for one venous graft, with the arterial CABG code when both graft types are used.
Does this code describe harvesting the arterial conduit?
No. It represents the coronary bypass operation using an arterial graft, rather than conduit harvesting alone.
What operative documentation supports one arterial graft?
The operative report should identify the arterial conduit used, the number of arterial grafts, the coronary targets, and the bypass work performed.
How does the global period affect postoperative billing?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care. Those services are part of the surgical global package.
Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be reported?
CMS indicates that an assistant at surgery may be paid for this procedure. 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
Fee sheets
Put 33533 and the rest of your codes on one sheet
Build a fee sheet from your own code list at your locality, put your payer contracts beside Medicare, and see what changed each quarter.
Build my fee sheetOr price your code list free →