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 *20260908*0930*^*00501*000000101*0*P*:~ GS*HC*SUBMITTER123*PAYER999*20260908*0930*101*X*005010X222A1~ ST*837*0001*005010X222A1~ BHT*0019*00*CT-SURG-20260908*20260908*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*20260908~ LX*2~ SV1*HC:33518*360.00*UN*1***1~ DTP*472*D8*20260908~ LX*3~ SV1*HC:33508*320.00*UN*1***1~ DTP*472*D8*20260908~ SE*21*0001~ GE*1*101~ IEA*1*000000101~
Turn these Cardiothoracic Surgical RCM Scrubber insights into recovered cash
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, with guaranteed under-48-hour findings.
Test our scrub rules and appeal workflow on 50 real claims. Zero commitment, no credit card required.
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