Billing code 37288: Tibial atherectomyMedicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Reports catheter-based atherectomy to restore flow in a simple tibial or peroneal artery lesion, for the first treated vessel in the session.
Medicare pays $7,136.54–$8,206.36 for 37288 in the office in Texas, from Beaumont to Austin. Which amount applies depends on the service address.
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 37288 covers
This service treats an obstructive lesion in a tibial or peroneal artery using a catheter-based device to remove or modify plaque and restore blood flow. It is typically performed by a vascular surgeon, interventional radiologist, or interventional cardiologist in an angiography or hospital procedure suite for peripheral arterial disease. Angioplasty in the same vessel is included when performed as part of the revascularization.
Report this code for the initial vessel when the treated lesion meets the billing code criteria for a simple intervention; use the operative report to support the vessel treated, lesion characteristics, and atherectomy performed. The separate additional-vessel code applies to another treated vessel. CMS assigns a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When multiple procedures occur in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity; 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 37288 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 payment localities
$7136.54 to $8206.36
8 of 8 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Austin | $8,206.36 | $603.35 |
| Beaumont | $7,136.54 | $597.09 |
| Brazoria | $7,713.26 | $591.73 |
| Dallas | $7,757.36 | $599.90 |
| Fort Worth | $7,686.09 | $600.49 |
| Galveston | $7,732.31 | $596.41 |
| Houston | $7,784.29 | $648.39 |
| Rest Of Texas | $7,416.82 | $597.11 |
How the 37288 rate is calculated
Each of 37288’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 · 37288
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 13.50Practice expense 217.06Malpractice 2.84
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 37288
The CMS indicators that decide how 37288 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 37288
Tibial atherectomy
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 000 | Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is 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) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
37288 without 50 · national office
$7,795.77
Tibial atherectomy
37288-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$11,693.66
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).
37288 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
37288 vs 37289 vs 37290 vs 37280 vs 37292: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 37289Arterial atherectomy
- 37288 reports the initial treated vessel; 37289 is the additional-vessel code for this atherectomy service.
- 37290Peripheral atherectomy
- Both are initial-vessel atherectomy codes, but 37290 is for a complex intervention rather than a simple one.
- 37280Tibial angioplasty
- 37280 is the initial-vessel angioplasty service without atherectomy; use 37288 when atherectomy is performed.
- 37292Arterial revascularization
- 37292 represents initial-vessel atherectomy with stenting; 37288 is for atherectomy without that stent combination.
37288 billing questions
When is 37288 selected instead of the complex atherectomy code?
Use 37288 for the initial tibial or peroneal vessel when the lesion meets billing code's simple-intervention criteria. The operative documentation should support the lesion classification; do not choose based only on the device used.
Can angioplasty in the treated vessel be billed separately?
Angioplasty performed in the same vessel as the atherectomy is included in this revascularization service.
How is another treated tibial or peroneal vessel reported?
Use the applicable additional-vessel code, 37289, for another vessel treated in the same session. This code is for the initial vessel.
What documentation supports reporting 37288?
The procedure report should identify the tibial or peroneal vessel, describe the lesion and why it qualifies as simple, and document the atherectomy performed.
How does the 0-day global period affect same-day care?
Same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included in the procedure's 0-day global period.
When is assistant-at-surgery payment allowed?
CMS payment for an assistant at surgery requires documentation of medical necessity.
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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