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CPT 36568: Pediatric Upper-Extremity Central Venous Catheter Insertion

CPT code 36568 represents insertion of a central venous catheter via an upper-extremity vein in patients younger than five years, with the catheter advanced into a major central vein or the right atrium and without placement of a subcutaneous port or pump. This procedure code captures a critical pediatric vascular access intervention used for central venous access for medications, fluids, nutrition, or monitoring in young children.

The analysis includes major national payers: Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise clinical context for the procedure, typical sites of service, and payer coverage considerations. The publication summarizes common modifier usage and related billing considerations where available, highlights procedural definitions that affect coding accuracy, and identifies gaps where input data are not provided.

This resource is intended for billing professionals, coding auditors, and clinical administrators seeking a clear, national-level reference for CPT code 36568. It clarifies what the code represents, situates the service within pediatric procedural care, and outlines the types of benchmarking and policy details that follow in the full publication. Data not available in the input will be noted explicitly in relevant sections of the full report.

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Billing Code Overview

CPT code 36568 describes placement of a central venous catheter through a vein in the upper extremity of a patient younger than 5 years, with the catheter advanced into a major central vein or directly into the right atrium, without placement of a subcutaneous port or pump.

Service type: Central venous catheter insertion (peripheral upper extremity approach) for pediatric patients under 5 years
Typical site of service: Inpatient or outpatient hospital setting, or specialized pediatric procedural suite where vascular access procedures are performed

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CPT 36568: Pediatric Upper-Extremity Central Venous Catheter Insertion

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Get alerted when payer policies referencing 36568 are released or updated.

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Billing Code Overview

Service type: Central venous catheter insertion (peripheral upper extremity approach) for pediatric patients under 5 years
Typical site of service: Inpatient or outpatient hospital setting, or specialized pediatric procedural suite where vascular access procedures are performed

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A realistic patient scenario is a 3-year-old child with long-term intravenous access needs for chemotherapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The child is brought to an interventional radiology or pediatric surgery suite. Under general anesthesia, the provider accesses a peripheral upper extremity vein (for example, the cephalic or basilic vein), advances a tunneled or non-tunneled central venous catheter centrally, and positions the catheter tip within a central vein near the right atrium or directly into the right atrium. The procedure does not include placement of a subcutaneous port or implantable pump, and it typically requires fluoroscopic guidance, sterile technique, ultrasound guidance for initial venous access, suture or securement of the external catheter, and dressing application. Typical workflow steps: pre-procedure consent and anesthesia evaluation, ultrasound-guided peripheral vein puncture, guidewire insertion, catheter advancement under fluoroscopy, confirmation of tip location, hemostasis, and post-procedure chest radiograph or fluoroscopic confirmation. Recovery occurs in a post-anesthesia care unit with monitoring for complications such as pneumothorax, bleeding, catheter malposition, or infection.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`59`	Distinct Procedural Service	Use when a separate and distinct catheter placement or unrelated procedure is performed on the same day by the same provider unrelated to other services.
`76`	Repeat Procedure by Same Physician (not in provided list)	Data not available in the input.
`78`	Unplanned Return to Operating/Procedure Room by Same Physician Following Initial Procedure for a Related Procedure During the Postoperative Period	Use when the patient returns to the procedure room for a complication requiring operative intervention related to the initial catheter placement.
`79`	Unrelated Procedure or Service by the Same Physician During the Postoperative Period	Use if an unrelated procedure is performed during the postoperative period.
`52`	Reduced Services	Use when the procedure is partially reduced or not completed as planned.
`53`	Discontinued Procedure	Use when the procedure is started but discontinued due to extenuating circumstances or patient safety.
`50`	Bilateral Procedure	Generally not applicable for central venous catheter placement via a single upper extremity, but used when bilateral procedures are performed.
`26`	Professional Component	Use when billing only the professional component of a service (e.g., interpretation) separate from technical services.
`TC`	Technical Component	Use when billing only the technical component such as facility equipment and staff costs.
`62`	Two Surgeons	Use when two surgeons work together as primary surgeons performing distinct portions of the procedure.
`63`	Procedure Performed on Infants Less Than 4 kg	Use when applicable based on weight-based modifier rules (note: choose appropriate pediatric modifier per payer policy).
`22`	Increased Procedural Services	Use when work or complexity is substantially greater than usual.
`23`	Unusual Anesthesia	Use when general anesthesia is required for a procedure that normally would be performed with local/regional anesthesia.
`26`	Professional Component	Use when only the provider interpretation component is billed.

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
2080P0201X	Pediatric Surgery	Pediatric surgeons commonly perform central venous catheter placements in young children.
207RC0000X	Interventional Radiology	Interventional radiologists perform image-guided catheter placements, often with fluoroscopy and ultrasound.
207L00000X	Pediatric Hematology-Oncology	Hematology-oncology teams frequently coordinate central access for chemotherapy; placement may be performed by surgery or IR.
207K00000X	Vascular Surgery	Vascular surgeons perform complex central venous access procedures in pediatric patients.
207LP2900X	Pediatric Critical Care Medicine	ICU teams may place central lines at bedside for critically ill infants and young children.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`Z51.11`	Encounter for antineoplastic chemotherapy	Common indication for central venous access in pediatric oncology patients requiring repeated chemotherapy administration.
`Z45.2`	Encounter for adjustment and management of vascular access device	Relevant for ongoing management and establishment of venous access.
`T82.7XXA`	Infection and inflammatory reaction due to other cardiac and vascular devices, implants and grafts, initial encounter	Relevant as a potential complication or prior device infection prompting new access placement.
`I82.401`	Acute embolism and thrombosis of unspecified deep veins of right upper extremity	Upper extremity DVT may necessitate alternative central access sites or specialized catheter placement.
`R65.21`	Severe sepsis with septic shock	Critically ill pediatric patients may require central venous access for vasopressors and monitoring.
`D61.8`	Other specified aplastic and other bone marrow failure syndromes	Patients with hematologic disorders may require frequent transfusions and central access.
`P96.8`	Other conditions originating in the perinatal period, not elsewhere classified	Neonates and infants with complex needs may require central access; included due to pediatric population relevance.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`36568`	Placement of non-tunneled central venous catheter, upper extremity, patient younger than 5 years, catheter advanced to major thoracic vein or right atrium; without subcutaneous port or pump	Primary procedure described.
`36555`	Insertion of non-tunneled centrally inserted central venous catheter; age 5 years or older	Related code for older pediatric patients; used when patient age does not meet `36568` criteria.
`36556`	Insertion of tunneled central venous catheter, without subcutaneous port or pump; younger than 5 years	Related when a tunneled catheter is placed instead of a non-tunneled catheter.
`36561`	Insertion of tunneled central venous catheter, with subcutaneous port or pump, younger than 5 years	Used when a port or pump is implanted rather than external catheter.
`76536`	Ultrasound guidance for vascular access requiring imaging supervision and interpretation	Commonly billed for ultrasound guidance during venous puncture when separately reportable.
`77012`	Fluoroscopic guidance for placement of intravascular devices	Used when fluoroscopy is performed for catheter tip placement and is billed as a separate technical service.

CPT 36555: Pediatric Central Venous Access Catheter Insertion

CPT-36556-CENTRAL-VENOUS-ACCESS-CATHETER-INSERTION-AGE-5-PLUS

CPT 36556: Central Venous Access Catheter Insertion, Age 5 and Older

CPT-36557-PEDIATRIC-CENTRAL-VENOUS-CATHETER-PLACEMENT

CPT 36557: Pediatric Central Venous Catheter Placement

CPT-36558-CENTRAL-VENOUS-CATHETER-PLACEMENT-RIGHT-ATRIAL-OR-MAJOR-VEIN

CPT 36558: Central Venous Catheter Placement for Medication/Nutrition

CPT-36560-TUNNELED-CENTRAL-VENOUS-CATHETER-INSERTION

CPT 36560: Tunneled Central Venous Catheter Insertion

CPT-36561-CENTRAL-VENOUS-ACCESS-CATHETER-TUNNELED

CPT 36561: Tunneled Central Venous Access Catheter Insertion

CPT-36563-CENTRAL-VENOUS-ACCESS-DEVICE-TUNNELED-INSERTION

CPT 36563: Tunneled Central Venous Access Device Insertion

CPT-36565-TUNNELED-CENTRAL-VENOUS-CATHETER-PLACEMENT

CPT 36565: Tunneled Central Venous Catheter Placement

CPT-36566-TUNNELED-CENTRAL-VENOUS-CATHETER-INSERTION

CPT 36566: Tunneled Central Venous Catheter Insertion

CPT-36569-UPPER-EXTREMITY-CENTRAL-VENOUS-CATHETER-PLACEMENT

CPT 36569: Upper-Extremity Central Venous Catheter Placement

Showing 1–10 of 14

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.

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Trek Health ingests and normalizes Transparency in Coverage data and payer policy updates to give provider organizations a clear view of how commercial reimbursement behaves across markets, payers, and services. Our platform transforms raw payer disclosures into structured intelligence that supports contract evaluation, payer negotiations, and service line strategy. By combining market benchmarks with ongoing policy visibility, Trek helps teams identify variability, risk, and opportunity in commercial reimbursement. The result is faster insight, stronger negotiating positions, and more informed financial decisions.

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Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`59`	Distinct Procedural Service	Use when a separate and distinct catheter placement or unrelated procedure is performed on the same day by the same provider unrelated to other services.
`76`	Repeat Procedure by Same Physician (not in provided list)	Data not available in the input.
`78`	Unplanned Return to Operating/Procedure Room by Same Physician Following Initial Procedure for a Related Procedure During the Postoperative Period	Use when the patient returns to the procedure room for a complication requiring operative intervention related to the initial catheter placement.
`79`	Unrelated Procedure or Service by the Same Physician During the Postoperative Period	Use if an unrelated procedure is performed during the postoperative period.
`52`	Reduced Services	Use when the procedure is partially reduced or not completed as planned.
`53`	Discontinued Procedure	Use when the procedure is started but discontinued due to extenuating circumstances or patient safety.
`50`	Bilateral Procedure	Generally not applicable for central venous catheter placement via a single upper extremity, but used when bilateral procedures are performed.
`26`	Professional Component	Use when billing only the professional component of a service (e.g., interpretation) separate from technical services.
`TC`	Technical Component	Use when billing only the technical component such as facility equipment and staff costs.
`62`	Two Surgeons	Use when two surgeons work together as primary surgeons performing distinct portions of the procedure.
`63`	Procedure Performed on Infants Less Than 4 kg	Use when applicable based on weight-based modifier rules (note: choose appropriate pediatric modifier per payer policy).
`22`	Increased Procedural Services	Use when work or complexity is substantially greater than usual.
`23`	Unusual Anesthesia	Use when general anesthesia is required for a procedure that normally would be performed with local/regional anesthesia.
`26`	Professional Component	Use when only the provider interpretation component is billed.

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
2080P0201X	Pediatric Surgery	Pediatric surgeons commonly perform central venous catheter placements in young children.
207RC0000X	Interventional Radiology	Interventional radiologists perform image-guided catheter placements, often with fluoroscopy and ultrasound.
207L00000X	Pediatric Hematology-Oncology	Hematology-oncology teams frequently coordinate central access for chemotherapy; placement may be performed by surgery or IR.
207K00000X	Vascular Surgery	Vascular surgeons perform complex central venous access procedures in pediatric patients.
207LP2900X	Pediatric Critical Care Medicine	ICU teams may place central lines at bedside for critically ill infants and young children.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`Z51.11`	Encounter for antineoplastic chemotherapy	Common indication for central venous access in pediatric oncology patients requiring repeated chemotherapy administration.
`Z45.2`	Encounter for adjustment and management of vascular access device	Relevant for ongoing management and establishment of venous access.
`T82.7XXA`	Infection and inflammatory reaction due to other cardiac and vascular devices, implants and grafts, initial encounter	Relevant as a potential complication or prior device infection prompting new access placement.
`I82.401`	Acute embolism and thrombosis of unspecified deep veins of right upper extremity	Upper extremity DVT may necessitate alternative central access sites or specialized catheter placement.
`R65.21`	Severe sepsis with septic shock	Critically ill pediatric patients may require central venous access for vasopressors and monitoring.
`D61.8`	Other specified aplastic and other bone marrow failure syndromes	Patients with hematologic disorders may require frequent transfusions and central access.
`P96.8`	Other conditions originating in the perinatal period, not elsewhere classified	Neonates and infants with complex needs may require central access; included due to pediatric population relevance.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`36568`	Placement of non-tunneled central venous catheter, upper extremity, patient younger than 5 years, catheter advanced to major thoracic vein or right atrium; without subcutaneous port or pump	Primary procedure described.
`36555`	Insertion of non-tunneled centrally inserted central venous catheter; age 5 years or older	Related code for older pediatric patients; used when patient age does not meet `36568` criteria.
`36556`	Insertion of tunneled central venous catheter, without subcutaneous port or pump; younger than 5 years	Related when a tunneled catheter is placed instead of a non-tunneled catheter.
`36561`	Insertion of tunneled central venous catheter, with subcutaneous port or pump, younger than 5 years	Used when a port or pump is implanted rather than external catheter.
`76536`	Ultrasound guidance for vascular access requiring imaging supervision and interpretation	Commonly billed for ultrasound guidance during venous puncture when separately reportable.
`77012`	Fluoroscopic guidance for placement of intravascular devices	Used when fluoroscopy is performed for catheter tip placement and is billed as a separate technical service.

CPT 36555: Pediatric Central Venous Access Catheter Insertion

CPT-36556-CENTRAL-VENOUS-ACCESS-CATHETER-INSERTION-AGE-5-PLUS

CPT 36556: Central Venous Access Catheter Insertion, Age 5 and Older

CPT-36557-PEDIATRIC-CENTRAL-VENOUS-CATHETER-PLACEMENT

CPT 36557: Pediatric Central Venous Catheter Placement

CPT-36558-CENTRAL-VENOUS-CATHETER-PLACEMENT-RIGHT-ATRIAL-OR-MAJOR-VEIN

CPT 36558: Central Venous Catheter Placement for Medication/Nutrition

CPT-36560-TUNNELED-CENTRAL-VENOUS-CATHETER-INSERTION

CPT 36560: Tunneled Central Venous Catheter Insertion

CPT-36561-CENTRAL-VENOUS-ACCESS-CATHETER-TUNNELED

CPT 36561: Tunneled Central Venous Access Catheter Insertion

CPT-36563-CENTRAL-VENOUS-ACCESS-DEVICE-TUNNELED-INSERTION

CPT 36563: Tunneled Central Venous Access Device Insertion

CPT-36565-TUNNELED-CENTRAL-VENOUS-CATHETER-PLACEMENT

CPT 36565: Tunneled Central Venous Catheter Placement

CPT-36566-TUNNELED-CENTRAL-VENOUS-CATHETER-INSERTION

CPT 36566: Tunneled Central Venous Catheter Insertion

CPT-36569-UPPER-EXTREMITY-CENTRAL-VENOUS-CATHETER-PLACEMENT

CPT 36569: Upper-Extremity Central Venous Catheter Placement

Showing 1–10 of 14

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.

Published by

Trek Health powers OpenPayer with a leading commercial payer intelligence platform, seamlessly converting fragmented payer data into actionable insights for provider organizations.

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CPT 36568: Pediatric Upper-Extremity Central Venous Catheter Insertion

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Billing Code Overview

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CPT 36568: Pediatric Upper-Extremity Central Venous Catheter Insertion

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Billing Code Overview

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Coding Specifications

Related Diagnoses

Related CPT Codes

Related Codes

References

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Coding Specifications

Related Diagnoses

Related CPT Codes

Related Codes

References

CPT 36568: Pediatric Upper-Extremity Central Venous Catheter Insertion

Sign up for cpt 36568 policy alerts

Billing Code Overview

CPT 36568: Pediatric Upper-Extremity Central Venous Catheter Insertion

Sign up for cpt 36568 policy alerts

Billing Code Overview

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Coding Specifications

Related Diagnoses

Related CPT Codes

Related Codes

What clinical procedure and patient population does CPT 36568 describe?

Which related CPT and imaging codes should I consider when coding central venous access in pediatric patients?

Which modifiers are commonly relevant to billing CPT 36568 and when are they used?

What is the typical workflow and immediate post-procedure considerations for a CPT 36568 case?

Which payers are included in the analysis and who is the intended audience for this CPT 36568 resource?

References

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

Coding Specifications

Related Diagnoses

Related CPT Codes

Related Codes

What clinical procedure and patient population does CPT 36568 describe?

Which related CPT and imaging codes should I consider when coding central venous access in pediatric patients?

Which modifiers are commonly relevant to billing CPT 36568 and when are they used?

What is the typical workflow and immediate post-procedure considerations for a CPT 36568 case?

Which payers are included in the analysis and who is the intended audience for this CPT 36568 resource?

References