Summary & Overview
HCPCS G0278: Iliac/Femoral Artery Angiography Adjunct to Cardiac Catheterization
HCPCS Level II code G0278 designates non-selective iliac and/or femoral artery angiography performed at the same time as cardiac catheterization or coronary angiography. The code captures the additional diagnostic imaging steps—catheter placement in the distal aorta or ipsilateral femoral/iliac artery, contrast injection, permanent image production, and radiologic supervision and interpretation—billed separately from the primary cardiac procedure. Nationally, this code matters because it documents adjunctive vascular imaging that can affect clinical decision-making, coding accuracy, and hospital or facility billing for complex catheterization encounters.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find an overview of the clinical context for use of the code, common places of service where the procedure is performed, and which stakeholders typically adjudicate claims. The publication summarizes coding scope, typical clinical scenarios that prompt adjunctive iliac/femoral angiography during coronary procedures, and operational considerations relevant to billing teams and hospital revenue cycles.
Data not available in the input: associated taxonomies, specific ICD-10 diagnoses, payer-specific reimbursement rates, and related codes. The content focuses on code definition, clinical context, and the aspects of service that determine when G0278 is reported in addition to primary cardiac catheterization or coronary angiography.
Billing Code Overview
HCPCS Level II code G0278 describes iliac and/or femoral artery angiography, non-selective, bilateral or ipsilateral to catheter insertion, performed at the same time as cardiac catheterization and/or coronary angiography. The service includes positioning or placement of the catheter in the distal aorta or ipsilateral femoral or iliac artery, injection of dye, production of permanent images, and radiologic supervision and interpretation. This procedure is reported in addition to the primary cardiac catheterization or coronary angiography procedure.
Service type: Diagnostic vascular angiography performed adjunctively during cardiac catheterization/coronary angiography
Typical site of service: Hospital cardiac catheterization laboratory or outpatient/inpatient interventional radiology/cardiac catheterization suite
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 64-year-old male with known coronary artery disease presents for elective left heart catheterization and coronary angiography for worsening exertional angina. During the procedure, the interventional cardiologist performs a non-selective iliac and/or femoral artery angiography (G0278) from the femoral arterial access site to document peripheral arterial anatomy and evaluate for access-related complications or coexisting peripheral vascular disease. The workflow includes vascular access (common femoral artery), positioning the catheter in the distal aorta or ipsilateral iliac/femoral artery, injection of radiopaque contrast, acquisition of permanent fluoroscopic images, and radiologic supervision and interpretation. The service is billed in addition to the primary cardiac catheterization/coronary angiography procedure and is typically performed in an outpatient cardiac catheterization laboratory or inpatient catheterization suite where radiologic equipment and monitoring are available.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
26 | Professional component | Use when reporting only the physician’s interpretation and report separate from technical services. |
TC |