Billing code 33900: Pulmonary artery treatmentMedicare rate & RVUs in Washington
Reports catheter-based revascularization of one non-native pulmonary artery on one side, distinct from treatment of an abnormal native vessel or both sides.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 33900 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 33900 covers
This code represents catheter-based treatment to restore or improve flow through one non-native pulmonary artery on one side. It is used in settings such as a cardiac catheterization laboratory when a patient needs intervention for impaired pulmonary blood flow, including in congenital heart disease care. Interventional cardiologists and other physicians performing pulmonary artery catheter procedures typically provide the service.
Select this code when the treated vessel is classified as non-native and treatment is unilateral; the medical record should identify the vessel, side, its non-native status, and the intervention performed. The bilateral non-native code and the abnormal-native-vessel codes describe different circumstances. The 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care. 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 multiple procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. 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 33900 pays more and less in Washington
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Rest Of Washington | Unavailable | $499.39 |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | Unavailable | $529.11 |
How the 33900 rate is calculated
Each of 33900’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 · 33900
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 10.75Practice expense 2.00Malpractice 2.57
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 33900
The CMS indicators that decide how 33900 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 33900
Pulmonary artery treatment
| 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) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| 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 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
33900 without 51 · national facility
$511.70
Pulmonary artery treatment
33900-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$255.85
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%).
33900 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
33900 vs 33901 vs 33902 vs 33903 vs 33904: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 33901Pulmonary artery treatment
- 33901 describes bilateral treatment of non-native pulmonary arteries; 33900 is unilateral. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for 33900.
- 33902Pulmonary artery revascularization
- Both describe unilateral pulmonary artery treatment, but 33902 is for an abnormal native vessel; 33900 is for a non-native vessel.
- 33903Pulmonary artery revascularization
- 33903 is for bilateral treatment of abnormal native pulmonary arteries. Choose 33900 for unilateral treatment of a non-native vessel.
- 33904Pulmonary revascularization
- 33904 identifies additional-vessel treatment in this code series; 33900 describes treatment of one non-native vessel on one side.
33900 billing questions
How do I distinguish this code from 33902?
Use 33900 for a unilateral intervention on a non-native pulmonary artery. Code 33902 describes unilateral treatment of an abnormal native vessel.
When is 33901 more appropriate?
Use 33901 when the non-native pulmonary artery treatment is bilateral. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for 33900.
What should the record establish?
Document the treated pulmonary artery, the side, the vessel's non-native status, and the catheter-based intervention performed.
Does the code include same-day preoperative and postoperative care?
Yes. The 0-day global period includes preoperative and postoperative care on the procedure date.
How is this code affected when another procedure is performed in the same session?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full; other procedures in the same session are subject to the standard multiple procedure reduction.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity. 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
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