Billing code 35701: Arterial explorationMedicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Reports open surgical exploration of a neck artery when the surgeon investigates the vessel but does not perform a surgical repair.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 35701 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 35701 covers
A vascular surgeon exposes and examines a neck artery to investigate a suspected vascular problem, such as possible injury or abnormality. The service involves operative exploration rather than imaging or a limited bedside assessment. It is reported when the surgeon explores the artery and does not proceed with surgical repair; if a definitive arterial procedure is performed, report the procedure that describes that treatment instead of separately reporting the exploration.
The operative report should identify the neck artery, the reason for exploration, the operative findings, and whether repair or another definitive procedure was performed. 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. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made; co-surgeon payment requires 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 35701 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 | $384.54 |
| Beaumont | Unavailable | $371.73 |
| Brazoria | Unavailable | $374.98 |
| Dallas | Unavailable | $379.09 |
| Fort Worth | Unavailable | $378.70 |
| Galveston | Unavailable | $377.26 |
| Houston | Unavailable | $401.05 |
| Rest Of Texas | Unavailable | $374.34 |
How the 35701 rate is calculated
Each of 35701’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 · 35701
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 7.31Practice expense 2.87Malpractice 1.30
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 35701
35701 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 35701
Arterial exploration
| 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) | 1 | Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 2 | Paid. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| 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 · 35701
Arterial exploration
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 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
35701 without 50 · national facility
$383.44
Arterial exploration
35701-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$575.16
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).
35701 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
35701 vs 35702 vs 35703 vs 35201 vs 35301: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 35702Artery exploration
- Choose 35701 for a neck artery. Use 35702 when the explored artery is in the upper extremity and no repair is performed.
- 35703Artery exploration
- Choose 35701 for a neck artery. Use 35703 for exploration of a lower-extremity artery without repair.
- 35201Vessel repair
- 35701 describes exploration without repair; 35201 describes direct repair of a blood vessel in the neck.
- 35301Arterial endarterectomy
- 35701 is for exploration without definitive treatment. Use 35301 when the surgeon performs carotid endarterectomy.
35701 billing questions
When should 35701 be chosen over 35702 or 35703?
Use 35701 for exploration of a neck artery. Codes 35702 and 35703 describe exploration of an upper-extremity artery and a lower-extremity artery, respectively.
Can 35701 be reported with an arterial repair performed during the exploration?
When the surgeon performs a definitive arterial repair, report the code for that treatment rather than separately reporting the exploratory service.
How is bilateral neck artery exploration reported?
Report bilateral exploration with modifier 50. CMS prices the bilateral service at 150%.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; team surgery is not permitted.
What documentation supports 35701?
Document the neck artery explored, the clinical reason for exploration, operative findings, and that no surgical repair or other definitive arterial procedure was performed.
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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