CPT code 37616: Arterial ligation2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Virginia
Reports operative ligation of a major artery located in the chest, commonly when a surgeon must permanently interrupt the vessel to control bleeding.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 37616 in Virginia.
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 37616 covers
This service involves surgically exposing and tying off a major arterial trunk within the chest. It is typically performed by a vascular, cardiothoracic, or trauma surgeon in an operating room when permanent interruption is needed, commonly to control operative or traumatic hemorrhage. The documented vessel must be a major artery in the chest; the incision or route of access alone does not determine the code.
Select this code by the artery’s location and the work performed, rather than by the underlying diagnosis alone. The operative report should identify the vessel, its thoracic location, the reason for ligation, and the procedure performed. This major operation has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. 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 37616 pays more and less in Virginia
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Dc + Md/Va Suburbs | Unavailable | $1,174.92 |
| Virginia | Unavailable | $1,020.94 |
How the 37616 rate is calculated
Each of 37616’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 · 37616
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work18.50
18.50 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense9.00
9.00 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice4.56
4.56 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
32.0600
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$1,070.83
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 37616
37616 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 37616
Arterial ligation
| 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) | 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 · 37616
Arterial ligation
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
37616 without 51 · national facility
$1,070.83
Arterial ligation
37616-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$535.42
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%).
37616 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 37615Arterial ligation
- Use 37615 when the major artery being ligated is in the neck. This code is selected for a major artery located in the chest.
- 37617Arterial ligation
- Use 37617 for a major artery in the abdomen; this code identifies the chest location.
- 37618Arterial ligation
- Use 37618 when the major artery is in an extremity. The code here is for a major thoracic artery.
- 37619IVC ligation
- 37619 concerns ligation of the inferior vena cava, a vein. This code is for a major artery in the chest.
37616 billing questions
How do I distinguish this code from 37615?
Choose based on the location of the major artery being ligated. This code is for an artery in the chest; 37615 is for a major artery in the neck.
Should modifier 50 be reported for ligation on both sides?
No. The CMS bilateral adjustment is inappropriate for this descriptor and anatomy; do not report modifier 50.
How is this code affected when other procedures are performed in the same session?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
An assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeons are paid only when supporting documentation is provided; team surgery is not permitted.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
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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