Wiki Cabg-Generally, what

[kreuschle]

Generally, what is/are the most common CABG code(s) that you see billed for a CABG case? Trying to get general reimbursement information for CABG. Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[conleyclan]

cabg codes

33510-33516 / CABG Venous
33533-33536 / CABG Arterial
33517-33523 / CABG Add on Combined Arterial-Venous Grafting

33508 / Endoscopic removal of vein (normally saphenous vein)
35500 / Add on - Harvest of upper extremity vein
35600 / Add on -Harvest of upper extremity artery
33530 / Add on - Reop of CABG or valve procedure more than 1 month after original operation

There may be a few more, but these are the most common.

 

[lisigirl]

Those are the cabg codes but for an idea on reimbursement, I'd say the code combination I tend to bill the most is the following:

33533, 33518, 33508 or 33533, 33519, 33508.

I see a lot of 3 and 4 vessel cabg procedures and for the most part, my surgeons use the LIMA and then the rest are vein grafts. Of course there are exceptions when both the RIMA and LIMA would be used so you would use 33534 instead, but the codes above are the ones I use the most.

Hope this helps.

Lisi, CPC
eharkler@nmh.org