Cardiothoracic Bypass & Cannulation Scrubber
Cardiothoracic and cardiovascular surgery claims represent massive RVU volume and acute audit exposure. Misreporting standalone venous graft codes (33510–33516) alongside arterial CABG (33533–33536), appending Modifier -51 to exempt add-ons (+33517/+33508), or unbundling routine cardiopulmonary bypass cannulation into ECMO codes (33951–33956) leads to devastating clawbacks. Simulate your cardiothoracic episodes and ensure total NCCI and CPT compliance before claim generation.
Cardiothoracic Bypass & Cannulation Scrubber
Audit complex CABG arterial-venous combinations, endoscopic vein harvest add-ons (+33508), concomitant valve replacements, and prevent fatal NCCI unbundling denials during open heart surgery and ECMO/ECLS cannulation.
Compliant Cardiothoracic Surgical Sequencing
Claim lines conform precisely to CPT arterial-venous graft hierarchy, Modifier 51 exemption rules for add-on conduits, and CMS NCCI Chapter VI cardiopulmonary bypass bundling standards.
| CPT Code | Description | Modifier | RVU | Est. Fee | Scrubber Rule Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33533 | Coronary artery bypass, single arterial graft (e.g., LIMA) | None | 52.4 | $1850.00 | CLEANPrimary coronary artery bypass base procedure. |
| +33518 | Venous graft add-on for arterial CABG, 2 graft(s) | None (Add-on) | 10.2 | $360.00 | CLEANModifier 51 exempt add-on code. Paid at 100% allowable without multi-procedure reduction. |
| +33508 | Endoscopic harvest of saphenous vein for CABG (Add-on) | None (Add-on) | 9.1 | $320.00 | CLEANSeparately payable add-on code. Documentation must specify endoscopic vein harvest technique. |
ISA*00* *00* *ZZ*SUBMITTER123 *ZZ*PAYER999 *20261023*0930*^*00501*000000101*0*P*:~ GS*HC*SUBMITTER123*PAYER999*20261023*0930*101*X*005010X222A1~ ST*837*0001*005010X222A1~ BHT*0019*00*CT-SURG-20261023*20261023*0930*CH~ NM1*85*2*AETHERA THORACIC SURGICAL ASSOC*****XX*1982736450~ N3*400 CARDIAC BYPASS WAY*SUITE 800~ N4*HOUSTON*TX*77030~ CLM*CT-CLAIM-001*2530***11:B:1*Y*A*Y*Y~ HI*BK:I25.10*BF:I25.700*BF:I35.0~ LX*1~ SV1*HC:33533*1850.00*UN*1***1~ DTP*472*D8*20261023~ LX*2~ SV1*HC:33518*360.00*UN*1***1~ DTP*472*D8*20261023~ LX*3~ SV1*HC:33508*320.00*UN*1***1~ DTP*472*D8*20261023~ SE*21*0001~ GE*1*101~ IEA*1*000000101~
Turn these Cardiothoracic Surgical RCM Scrubber insights into a practice-specific review
Facing multi-vessel CABG rejections, payer pushback on endoscopic saphenous harvest (+33508), or audit clawbacks on ECMO cannulation and concomitant valve surgeries? Aethera's specialized cardiovascular surgical coding team secures every dollar of legitimate reimbursement. Let our senior AAPC-certified billing team audit 50 of your active claims or past denials — completely free. Results in 14 days after the BAA, complete intake and agreed success criteria.
Test our scrub rules and appeal workflow on 50 real claims. Zero commitment, no credit card required.
Enter your aging totals for an instant planning report. Uploaded files are processed locally; clinical intake is arranged separately.