Billing code 37790: Penile vein surgeryMedicare rate & RVUs in Washington
Surgical closure of penile venous drainage is reported for selected erectile dysfunction cases in which venous outflow contributes to inadequate erection.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 37790 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 37790 covers
This code represents surgery to obstruct penile venous drainage, commonly by ligating the deep dorsal vein, for selected erectile dysfunction attributed to excessive venous outflow. A urologist typically performs the operation in a surgical setting after evaluation identifies a venous cause; it is distinct from procedures that improve arterial inflow or implant a prosthesis.
Report the service for the operative venous-occlusion procedure, with documentation supporting the venous diagnosis and describing the operative site and technique. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When other procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. 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 37790 pays more and less in Washington
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Rest Of Washington | Unavailable | $444.25 |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | Unavailable | $479.36 |
How the 37790 rate is calculated
Each of 37790’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 · 37790
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work8.22
8.22 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense3.95
3.95 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.07
1.07 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
13.2400
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$442.23
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 37790
37790 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 37790
Penile vein surgery
| 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) | 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. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.08/0.83/0.09 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 37790
Penile vein surgery
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
37790 without 51 · national facility
$442.23
Penile vein surgery
37790-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$221.12
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%).
37790 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 37788Penile revascularization
- Use 37790 for surgery that occludes penile venous drainage; 37788 describes penile revascularization to address arterial inflow.
- 54400Penile prosthesis
- Use 54400 for insertion of a non-inflatable penile prosthesis, not for surgery that obstructs venous outflow.
- 37799Unlisted px vascular surgery
- 37799 is an unlisted vascular surgery code. Use the specific 37790 code when the documented operation is penile venous occlusion.
37790 billing questions
How is this different from penile revascularization?
This procedure obstructs venous drainage for erectile dysfunction attributed to venous outflow. Penile revascularization addresses arterial blood supply instead.
Does the 90-day global period include postoperative visits?
Related postoperative care during the 90 days is included, along with the day-before preoperative visit.
Can modifier 50 be used?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code.
When may an assistant-at-surgery be paid?
Only when the claim is supported by documentation of medical necessity. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
What should the operative note establish?
Document the venous basis for the procedure and the penile venous site and technique treated. This supports distinguishing venous occlusion from arterial revascularization or prosthesis surgery.
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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