Summary & Overview
CPT 33275: Removal of Leadless Pacemaker from Right Ventricle
CPT code 33275 represents percutaneous removal of a permanent leadless pacemaker from the right ventricle via a steerable catheter introduced through the femoral vein. The code is nationally relevant as the use of leadless pacemakers grows and clinicians and payers confront procedural, coding, and coverage considerations for device retrieval. CPT code 33275 bundles imaging guidance and device testing/programming when performed, which affects billing strategy and reimbursement comparisons.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise explanation of the service and typical sites of care, plus benchmarking context and policy implications related to bundled services and device-related procedure reporting. The publication outlines how the code is applied clinically, how payer policies commonly treat bundled imaging and testing, and highlights areas where coding clarity is important for charge capture and claims adjudication. The piece is intended for health system coding leaders, device program managers, and clinicians involved in leadless pacemaker management.
Data not available in the input for detailed payer-specific reimbursement rates, associated taxonomies, ICD-10 diagnoses, and related codes.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 33275 describes the removal of a permanent leadless pacemaker (LP) from the right ventricle using a steerable catheter inserted via the femoral vein. This procedure includes imaging guidance and device testing/programming when performed, and those services are bundled into the code and cannot be reported separately.
Service type: Percutaneous transvenous leadless pacemaker extraction
Typical site of service: Hospital outpatient department or inpatient operating/procedure room with vascular access via the femoral vein
Data not available in the input for payers, associated taxonomies, and ICD-10 diagnoses.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 72-year-old male with a previously implanted permanent leadless pacemaker in the right ventricle presents with device-related infection and persistent bacteremia despite antibiotic therapy. The cardiology team schedules percutaneous extraction of the leadless pacemaker via a femoral venous approach using a steerable retrieval catheter under fluoroscopic imaging. The patient undergoes preprocedural assessment including coagulation studies, brief transesophageal or transthoracic echocardiography to exclude large vegetations, and device interrogation. In the procedure suite, vascular access is obtained in the femoral vein, a steerable catheter is advanced to the right ventricle, the leadless pacemaker is engaged and detached from myocardial tissue, and the device is removed through the sheath. Intra-procedural fluoroscopy and device testing/programming are performed as indicated. Post-procedure monitoring includes vascular site observation, rhythm assessment, telemetry, and follow-up device interrogation. Typical site of service is an inpatient hospital or hospital outpatient procedure room (cardiac catheterization lab or electrophysiology lab).
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
11 | Provider’s usual (default) service | Append when the performing physician is the primary clinician providing expected services. |