Billing code 33820: PDA repairMedicare rate & RVUs in Washington
Reports surgical closure of a patent ductus arteriosus by ligation, rather than division, during an operative repair.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 33820 in Washington.
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 33820 covers
A cardiothoracic surgeon uses this code when surgically closing a patent ductus arteriosus by ligating the vessel. The procedure is generally performed in an operating room for a patient with a persistent connection between the aorta and pulmonary artery; the operative report should identify the ductus and describe the ligation performed. The code distinguishes ligation from repair methods that divide the ductus.
Select the code from the documented operative technique, not simply from the diagnosis of PDA or the patient’s age. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during the 90 days after surgery. 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% reduction. Modifier 50 is not appropriate for this ductus repair. Assistant-at-surgery services may be paid; co-surgeon and team-surgery reporting are not permitted for this service.
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 33820 pays more and less in Washington
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Rest Of Washington | Unavailable | $912.61 |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | Unavailable | $983.03 |
How the 33820 rate is calculated
Each of 33820’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 · 33820
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 16.27Practice expense 7.34Malpractice 4.09
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 33820
33820 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 33820
PDA repair
| 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 · 33820
PDA repair
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
33820 without 51 · national facility
$925.20
PDA repair
33820-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$462.60
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%).
33820 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
33820 vs 33822 vs 33824: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
33820 billing questions
How does this code differ from 33822 or 33824?
This code is for ligation of the ductus. Codes 33822 and 33824 describe division-based PDA repair, with the age distinction reflected in those codes.
What documentation supports reporting the ligation code?
The operative report should identify the patent ductus arteriosus and document that the surgeon closed it by ligation. A PDA diagnosis alone does not establish the operative method.
Can an assistant surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery services may be paid for this procedure. CMS does not permit co-surgeon or team-surgery reporting for it.
How does the 90-day global period affect postoperative care?
The global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care for 90 days after the operation.
Can modifier 50 be used?
No. Modifier 50 is not appropriate for this ductus repair.
What happens when another procedure is performed in the same session?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction.
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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