Summary & Overview
CPT 36500: Catheter Insertion for Organ Venous Blood Withdrawal
CPT code 36500 denotes the insertion of a catheter through a vein to a selected organ for the purpose of withdrawing blood from that organ's blood supply. This procedure captures organ-specific venous samples and is performed in settings equipped for vascular access, including hospital inpatient and outpatient units, interventional radiology suites, and procedure rooms. Nationally, the code matters for clinical workflows that require organ-directed hemodynamic or laboratory assessment and for payers managing utilization and coverage of invasive vascular procedures.
Key payers included in typical analyses are Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of the clinical intent of the code, typical sites of service, and the common payer landscape. The publication also outlines benchmarks and policy considerations relevant to billing and coverage (Data not available in the input), common modifier usage (Data not available in the input), and the clinical contexts in which organ-directed venous sampling is used.
This summary equips coding professionals, clinical staff, and payers with a clear description of CPT code 36500, its clinical purpose, and where it fits in procedural workflows.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 36500 describes a procedure in which a provider inserts a catheter through a vein to a selected organ for the purpose of withdrawing blood from that organ's blood supply. This procedure is a type of vascular catheterization performed to obtain organ-specific venous blood samples.
-
Service type: Intravascular catheter insertion for organ venous blood withdrawal
-
Typical site of service: Hospital inpatient or outpatient setting, interventional radiology suite, or procedure room where vascular access and organ-directed sampling are performed
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 58-year-old male with hepatocellular carcinoma is scheduled for a selective hepatic venous blood sampling procedure to evaluate hepatic vein oxygenation and tumor markers prior to locoregional therapy. The patient presents to an interventional radiology suite after pre-procedural consent and coagulation assessment. Under conscious sedation, the interventional radiologist obtains ultrasound-guided percutaneous access to the right common femoral vein, advances a venous catheter under fluoroscopic guidance into the selected hepatic vein, and withdraws targeted blood samples from the organ’s venous outflow for laboratory analysis. Hemostasis is achieved with manual compression and a pressure dressing, and the patient is monitored in recovery before discharge or admission.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
26 | Professional component | Use when billing only the physician’s professional interpretation and management when separate from technical facility charges. |
50 | Bilateral procedure | Use if identical venous catheterizations are performed on paired organs or bilateral sites requiring separate reporting. |