CPT code 36561 denotes the insertion of a tunneled central venous access catheter whose tip terminates in a central vein or the right atrium. This procedure establishes durable central venous access for long-term therapies such as infusion of medications, parenteral nutrition, and repetitive blood draws. Nationally, tunneled central venous catheter placement is a common, resource-intensive service across acute care hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, and interventional radiology settings, with implications for device utilization, infection prevention, and reimbursement policy.

Key payers in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a clinical and billing overview of the procedure, typical sites of service, and the policy and billing considerations that affect coverage and claim adjudication. The publication highlights benchmark rate context, common modifier usage (listed separately), and coding scenarios relevant to tunneled central venous catheter placement.

This summary equips coding professionals, revenue cycle managers, and clinical leaders with concise context on what CPT code 36561 represents, why it is clinically significant, and where to focus documentation and coding efforts to support appropriate billing and payer communications.