CPT 36260 Intra‑arterial Pump Reimbursement | OpenPayer

Summary & Overview

CPT 36260: Intra-arterial Catheter with Subcutaneous Infusion Pump

CPT code 36260 covers implantation of an intra-arterial catheter, commonly into the hepatic artery, with placement of a subcutaneous infusion pump for continuous drug infusion. The code represents a specialized interventional/surgical service used primarily for regional chemotherapy and other continuous intra-arterial therapies. It is significant nationally because it supports delivery of targeted pharmacologic treatments that can reduce systemic exposure and enable prolonged, controlled dosing.

Key payers in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of the clinical intent and typical sites of service, payer coverage considerations, and common billing modifiers associated with this procedure. The publication provides benchmarks and policy context relevant to billing and reimbursement for implantation and management of intra-arterial infusion pump systems, plus guidance on coding nuances and service-line implications. Data not available in the input for specific associated taxonomies, ICD-10 diagnoses, and related codes will be noted where relevant.

AetnaBlue Cross Blue ShieldCigna HealthUnitedHealthcareMedicareCPT 36260intra-arterial catheterinfusion pump implantationinterventional radiologyregional chemotherapysurgical implantationambulatory surgical centerhospital operating roommedical billing

Billing Code Overview

CPT code 36260 describes placement of a catheter into a targeted artery, most commonly the hepatic artery, and implantation of a subcutaneous infusion pump connected to that catheter for continuous drug infusion into the bloodstream. This procedure is an implantation of an intra-arterial catheter with subcutaneous infusion pump intended to deliver ongoing regional chemotherapy or other continuous intra-arterial therapies.

Service type: Surgical/implantation procedure for continuous intra-arterial drug infusion

Typical site of service: Hospital operating room, interventional radiology suite, or ambulatory surgical center

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A typical patient is a 58-year-old with unresectable, metastatic colorectal cancer to the liver who has failed systemic chemotherapy and is referred for targeted regional therapy. After multidisciplinary evaluation, the interventional radiology team plans implantation of a subcutaneous hepatic artery infusion pump and catheter to deliver continuous high-concentration chemotherapy directly into the hepatic artery. The patient presents to an operating room or interventional radiology suite under general anesthesia or monitored anesthesia care. Vascular access to the common femoral artery is obtained percutaneously or via a small incision. Under fluoroscopic guidance, a catheter is advanced into the hepatic artery; angiography confirms position and hepatic perfusion. A subcutaneous pocket (usually in the lower abdominal wall) is created and the catheter tunneled and connected to the implanted infusion pump, which is tested for flow and secured. Hemostasis is achieved, wounds closed, and the patient is recovered in a post-anesthesia care unit with observation for bleeding, infection, or catheter/pump complications. Typical sites of service are the hospital operating room or hospital-based interventional radiology suite. Typical service type is a major vascular implant procedure performed by interventional radiology or surgical oncology teams working with anesthesia and perioperative nursing.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`26`	Professional component	Use when reporting only the physician work separate from technical/supply charges for the procedure.

CPT 36248: Selective Additional Arterial Branch Angiography

CPT-36253-SELECTIVE-RENAL-ARTERIAL-ANGIOGRAPHY

CPT 36253: Selective Renal Arterial Angiography

CPT-36252-BILATERAL-SELECTIVE-RENAL-ANGIOGRAPHY

CPT 36252: Bilateral Selective Renal Angiography

CPT-36251-SELECTIVE-RENAL-ARTERIOGRAPHY-GROIN-ACCESS

CPT 36251: Selective Renal Arteriography via Femoral Access

CPT-36262-INFUSION-PUMP-AND-CATHETER-EXPLANTATION-OPEN

CPT 36262: Removal of Implanted Infusion Pump and Catheter

CPT-36245-SELECTIVE-ARTERIAL-CATHETERIZATION-ANGIOGRAPHY

CPT 36245: Selective Arterial Catheterization for Angiography

CPT-36299-UNLISTED-VASCULAR-INJECTION-PROCEDURE

CPT 36299: Unlisted Vascular Injection Procedure

CPT-36261-REVISION-IMPLANTABLE-CATHETER-INFUSION-PUMP

CPT 36261: Revision of Implanted Catheter and Infusion Pump

CPT-36247-SELECTIVE-CATHETERIZATION-THIRD-ORDER-ABDOMINAL-PELVIC-LOWER-EXTREMITY

CPT 36247: Selective Catheterization for Third‑Order Abdominal/Pelvic/Lower Extremity Artery

CPT-36254-RENAL-ARTERY-SELECTIVE-ANGIOGRAPHY-BILATERAL

CPT 36254: Bilateral Selective Renal Artery Angiography

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Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
`207RH0000X`	Interventional Radiology	Primary specialty performing image-guided arterial catheter placement and pump implantation.
`208000000X`	General Surgery	Surgical oncologists may perform pump implantation when combined with operative procedures.
`2084P0800X`	Surgical Oncology	Often involved in multidisciplinary care and surgical implantation when coordinated with oncologic resections.
`208600000X`	Vascular Surgery	May be involved for complex arterial access or reconstruction during implantation.
`207L00000X`	Radiology	Diagnostic and procedural radiologists who perform fluoroscopic guidance and angiography.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`C78.7`	Secondary malignant neoplasm of liver and intrahepatic bile duct	Common indication for hepatic artery infusion pump to treat liver-dominant metastases.
`C78.01`	Secondary malignant neoplasm of right lung	Included when metastatic disease involves multiple sites; may coexist with hepatic metastases but not primary indication for hepatic pump.
`C80.1`	Malignant (primary) neoplasm, unspecified	Used when a specific primary is not documented but metastatic disease requires regional therapy planning.
`C18.9`	Malignant neoplasm of colon, unspecified	Primary colorectal cancer often leads to liver metastases treated with hepatic artery infusion pumps.
`C18.7`	Malignant neoplasm of sigmoid colon	Specific colorectal primary commonly associated with liver metastases targeted by intra-arterial pump therapy.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`36260`	Selective catheter placement, thoracic, abdominal, pelvic, or lower extremity artery, with permanent or temporary subcutaneous infusion pump implantation (separate code description provided)	This is the primary procedure code describing catheter placement into a target artery (commonly the hepatic artery) with subcutaneous infusion pump implantation for continuous drug infusion.
`36247`	Selective catheter placement, intra-arterial; each first order abdominal, pelvic, or lower extremity branch, separate catheter (example code)	May be performed for diagnostic or adjunctive selective catheterization of hepatic arterial branches prior to pump placement to define anatomy.
`36216`	Selective catheter placement, cerebral or spinal artery, for diagnostic purposes (example)	Not typically used for hepatic pumps; included when cerebral or other regional pumps are considered in related workflows. Use only when clinically relevant.
`36251`	Selective catheter placement, visceral artery, with diagnostic angiography, with or without superselective catheterization	Performed when angiography of the hepatic/visceral arterial supply is done prior to or during pump placement to map vascular anatomy and embolize extrahepatic branches if necessary.
`76937`	Ultrasound guidance for vascular access (insertion of catheter, venous or arterial)	Used when ultrasound guidance is employed for arterial access during pump implantation.

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