CPT 37236 Arterial Stent Placement Reimbursement | OpenPayer

Summary & Overview

CPT 37236: Arterial Stent Placement, Endovascular

CPT code 37236 represents arterial stent placement performed via catheter-based techniques, including necessary radiologic imaging and any angioplasty within the same vessel. It covers percutaneous and open access approaches but explicitly excludes stent placement in lower extremity, cervical carotid, intracranial, and coronary arteries. This procedure is widely used in vascular and interventional specialties to restore or maintain arterial patency in non-coronary, non-intracranial, non-carotid beds.

Key national payers relevant to this code include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find practical context on the clinical scope of the code, typical settings where the service is delivered (hospital outpatient, inpatient operating room, and properly equipped ambulatory surgical centers), and the common billing considerations tied to stent placement procedures. The publication summarizes benchmark elements, coding boundaries (what is included and excluded), and clinical context necessary for accurate reporting and reimbursement. Data not available in the input are explicitly identified where applicable, and the piece avoids state-specific guidance, focusing instead on national applicability for clinicians, billing professionals, and policy analysts.

AetnaBlue Cross Blue ShieldCigna HealthUnitedHealthcareMedicare37236CPTendovascularstent placementvascular surgeryinterventional radiologyangioplastyhospital outpatientambulatory surgical center

Billing Code Overview

CPT code 37236 describes the insertion of a stent in an artery using catheter-based techniques. The procedure includes any radiologic imaging necessary to complete the intervention and encompasses angioplasty performed within the same vessel when done by the provider. This code excludes stent placement in the lower extremity, cervical carotid, intracranial, and coronary arteries.

Service type: Endovascular arterial stent placement (percutaneous or open access)
Typical site of service: Hospital outpatient department or inpatient operating/interventional suite; may also be performed in ambulatory surgical centers equipped for endovascular interventions.

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A 68-year-old patient with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) presents with lifestyle-limiting claudication of the right lower extremity and an angiographically significant focal stenosis of the right superficial femoral artery. After noninvasive testing (ankle-brachial index, arterial duplex) and diagnostic peripheral angiography confirming a hemodynamically significant lesion, the vascular interventionalist performs percutaneous transluminal stent placement. The procedure is performed in an outpatient ambulatory surgical center or hospital catheterization lab under conscious sedation with local arterial access (percutaneous common femoral approach). Intraprocedural digital subtraction angiography is used to visualize the lesion, guidewire and balloon angioplasty are performed when indicated, and a self-expanding or balloon-expandable stent is deployed in the target artery. Hemostasis is achieved using manual compression or a vascular closure device. The patient is monitored post-procedure in a recovery area and discharged the same day if stable, or admitted if complications occur. Documentation includes CPT code 37236, detailed procedure note of access, imaging performed, vessels treated, stent type and size, any adjunctive angioplasty, and immediate post-deployment angiographic result.

Coding Specifications

Below are the most clinically relevant modifiers for peripheral arterial stent placement and guidance for use.

Modifier	Description	When to Use

CPT 37262: Intravascular Lithotripsy During Iliac Revascularization

CPT-37254-ILIAC-ARTERY-ANGIOPLASTY-BALLOON-DILATION

CPT 37254: Iliac Artery Angioplasty (Balloon Dilation)

CPT-37280-TIBIAL-PERONEAL-ANGIOPLASTY-BALLOON-ANGIOPLASTY

CPT 37280: Tibial/Peroneal Balloon Angioplasty, Single Lesion

CPT-37282-TIBIAL-PERONEAL-ANGIOPLASTY-COMPLEX-OCCLUSION

CPT 37282: Angioplasty of Complex Tibial/Peroneal Occlusion

CPT-37273-FEMORAL-POPLITEAL-ATHERECTOMY-OCCLUSION

CPT 37273: Atherectomy for Femoral-Popliteal Occlusion

CPT-37239-SECONDARY-VENOUS-STENT-INSERTION-ENDOVASCULAR

CPT 37239: Secondary Venous Stent Insertion, Endovascular

CPT-37237-ADD-ON-ENDOVASCULAR-STENT-PLACEMENT

CPT 37237: Add-On Endovascular Arterial Stent Placement

CPT-37294-TIBIAL-PERONEAL-STENT-AND-ATHERECTOMY-REVASCULARIZATION

CPT 37294: Tibial/Peroneal Revascularization with Stent and Atherectomy

CPT-37275-ATHERECTOMY-STENT-FEMORAL-POPLITEAL

CPT 37275: Atherectomy with Stent Placement, Femoral/Popliteal

CPT-37277-ATHERECTOMY-STENT-FEMORAL-POPLITEAL-OCCLUSION

CPT 37277: Atherectomy and Stent Placement for Femoral–Popliteal Occlusion

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Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
207RH0000X	Vascular Surgery	Primary specialty performing arterial stent placement in peripheral vasculature.
2084P0800X	Interventional Radiology	Frequently performs percutaneous arterial stenting with imaging guidance.
207XS0101X	Interventional Cardiology	May perform peripheral interventions in some practices and hybrid vascular procedures.
207L00000X	General Surgery	Vascular components of general surgery practices performing open or hybrid access.
261QP2300X	Diagnostic Radiology	Procedural support and image interpretation during angiographic procedures.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`I70.219`	Atherosclerosis of native arteries of extremities, unspecified, right leg	A common indication for peripheral arterial stent placement to treat symptomatic ischemia or claudication.
`I70.221`	Atherosclerosis of native arteries of extremities with intermittent claudication, right leg	Describes symptomatic PAD causing exertional leg pain prompting endovascular intervention.
`I70.212`	Atherosclerosis of native arteries of extremities with rest pain, right leg	Indicates critical limb ischemia where stenting may be performed to relieve rest pain and improve perfusion.
`I74.3`	Embolism and thrombosis of arteries of lower extremities	Acute occlusion that may require urgent endovascular stenting or adjunctive thrombectomy/pharmacologic lysis.
`I70.201`	Atherosclerosis of native arteries of extremities, unspecified, left leg	Left-sided PAD requiring intervention; laterality must be documented.
`I70.241`	Atherosclerosis of bypass graft of the extremities with other complication	Stenting may be performed in failing bypass grafts or at anastomotic stenoses.
`R02`	Gangrene, not elsewhere classified	Advanced ischemic injury where revascularization via stent placement may be indicated to salvage limb.
`I96`	Gangrene, not elsewhere classified (acute)	Used when acute limb-threatening ischemia is present and urgent revascularization is performed.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`37235`	Transcatheter placement of an intravascular stent(s), arterial; initial vessel	Often billed when stent placement is performed in a vessel where code `37236` does not apply or as related code for different anatomic sites; differentiate by anatomic exclusion criteria.
`36011`	Introduction of catheter, vein; for diagnostic femoral approach (selective catheterization)	May be performed prior to arterial access or as part of initial diagnostic catheterization when venous access is required in a hybrid procedure.
`36215`	Selective catheterization, arterial system; each first order thoracic, abdominal, or pelvic branch	Used for selective catheterization of target arteries during diagnostic or interventional angiography in the same session.
`37237`	Transcatheter placement of an intravascular stent(s), arterial; each additional vessel (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)	Reported for additional distinct vessels treated with stents during the same session in addition to the primary stented vessel billed with `37236`.
`35475`	Thrombolysis, infusion for peripheral artery thrombosis	May be performed before or during the session if thrombus is present and requires pharmacologic lysis prior to stenting.
`92920`	Cardioversion, elective, outpatient	Not typically related; included here only if an arrhythmia management procedure coincides during the same episode (rare).

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