Summary & Overview
CPT 36140: Extremity Artery Injection Access
CPT code 36140 identifies arterial access in an upper or lower extremity for the purpose of injection. The code describes introduction of a needle or intracatheter into an extremity artery and is used across settings where arterial injections are performed, including ambulatory surgical centers, hospital outpatient departments, and inpatient care. Nationally, accurate reporting of this code matters for clinical documentation, appropriate service classification, and consistent payment for vascular access procedures.
Key payers referenced in the analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a focused overview of clinical context for arterial injection access, typical sites of service, and common billing considerations. The publication also provides benchmark comparisons, coding guidance context, and recent policy updates affecting arterial access services where available.
This summary equips clinicians, billers, and policy professionals with concise information about what CPT code 36140 represents, why correct use matters for reimbursement and reporting, and where to look for payer-specific rules. Data not available in the input is noted where relevant.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 36140 reports the introduction of a needle or intracatheter into an upper or lower extremity artery for injection purposes. This procedure code covers arterial access specifically targeting extremity arteries to administer diagnostic or therapeutic injections.
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Service type: Vascular arterial access for injection
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Typical site of service: Ambulatory surgical centers, hospital outpatient departments, and inpatient hospital settings where vascular access and arterial injections are performed
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 62-year-old patient with peripheral arterial disease presents to the vascular lab/angiography suite for diagnostic arterial evaluation and possible intra-arterial therapeutic injection. The patient has chronic lower-extremity ischemic rest pain and nonhealing toe ulceration. After vascular access planning, the interventionalist introduces a needle or intracatheter into a lower extremity artery (for example, the common femoral or popliteal artery) to deliver contrast for diagnostic angiography or to administer intra-arterial medications (thrombolytics or vasodilators). Typical workflow: pre-procedure consent and history, sterile prep and local anesthesia, arterial puncture and catheter/needle introduction, targeted injection of contrast or medication, angiographic imaging as indicated, catheter removal and hemostasis, and post-procedure monitoring. Typical site of service: hospital outpatient department, ambulatory surgery center, or inpatient interventional radiology/vascular suite. Service type: arterial access for injection in an extremity for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
26 | Professional component | When only the physician interpretation/reading is reported separate from technical component |
59 |