Summary & Overview
CPT 36571: Peripherally Inserted Central Venous Catheter with Subcutaneous Port
CPT code 36571 documents the placement of a peripherally inserted central venous catheter with a subcutaneous port for patients five years and older requiring long-term intravenous therapy. Nationally, this procedure supports chemotherapy delivery, long-term antibiotics, parenteral nutrition, and other chronic IV regimens, making it a high-impact code for oncology, infectious disease, and infusion service lines.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a clinical and billing overview of CPT code 36571, typical sites of service, common payer coverage patterns, and benchmarking context where available. The publication outlines coding considerations relevant to long-term venous access and highlights practice settings where the service is commonly performed.
This summary provides the clinical context and payer scope, followed by details on utilization benchmarks, reimbursement practices, and policy updates affecting facility and professional claims for central venous port placement. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 36571 describes the insertion of a peripherally inserted central venous catheter (with subcutaneous port) for patients aged five years and older. The procedure places a central venous catheter via a vein in the arm and includes placement of a subcutaneous port for long-term intravenous access.
Service Type: Central venous catheter insertion with subcutaneous port (long-term IV access)
Typical Site of Service: Outpatient surgical suite, ambulatory surgery center, or hospital outpatient department
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is a 62-year-old adult with metastatic colorectal cancer who requires long-term intermittent chemotherapy and frequent blood draws. The oncology team determines that a subcutaneous implanted port with a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) tunneled to a subcutaneous port is the most appropriate vascular access to reduce peripheral venipuncture and provide reliable central venous access. The procedure is scheduled in an outpatient infusion center or ambulatory surgical center under conscious sedation or monitored anesthesia care. The vascular access team or interventional radiology physician performs pre-procedure assessment including consent, review of coagulation status, and ultrasound mapping of the arm veins. Under ultrasound guidance and sterile technique, a peripheral vein in the upper arm is cannulated, and the catheter is advanced centrally with fluoroscopic confirmation of tip location in the superior vena cava. A subcutaneous port reservoir is created and the catheter tunneled and connected. Post-placement chest radiograph or fluoroscopic imaging confirms tip position. The patient is observed for immediate complications (bleeding, pneumothorax, air embolism) and discharged with wound care and port access instructions. Typical payors for authorization and billing include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, BUCA, and Medicare.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
26 | Professional component | Use when reporting only the physician professional component separate from technical services. |