{
    "code": "36478",
    "coding_system": "CPT",
    "canonical_url": "https://localishealth.com/cpt/36478/2018/A",
    "release_specific_url": "https://localishealth.com/cpt/36478/2018/A",
    "description": "Closure of a leaking superficial leg vein using laser energy delivered from inside the vessel. A fiber is passed up the vein through a small puncture, numbing fluid is placed around the vein, and the fiber is drawn back slowly while laser light heats the wall so the vein seals and is eventually absorbed. The distinguishing feature against its neighbours is the energy source, laser rather than radiofrequency or an injected chemical. This entry is the first vein treated in a leg, with a companion code for each additional one.",
    "answer": {
        "question": "How much did Medicare pay for CPT 36478 in Q1 2018?",
        "text": "Medicare paid $1,236.23 for CPT 36478 in the office (non-facility) setting and $290.88 in a facility under the Q1 2018 Physician Fee Schedule, effective January 2018. These are the national allowed amounts before the ~2% sequestration cut and before locality (GPCI) adjustment. This is a 1.0% increase from the previous quarter."
    },
    "release": {
        "schedule": "pfs",
        "year": 2018,
        "quarter": "A",
        "label": "Q1 2018",
        "effective": "January 1 – March 31, 2018",
        "revision": 1
    },
    "status": {
        "code": "A",
        "non_facility_payable": true,
        "facility_payable": true
    },
    "national_rates_usd": {
        "office_non_facility": 1236.23,
        "facility": 290.88,
        "sequestration_applied": false,
        "gpci": 1
    },
    "rvus": {
        "work": 5.3,
        "practice_expense_non_facility": 28.04,
        "practice_expense_facility": 1.78,
        "malpractice": 1
    },
    "formula": "(work_rvu × work_gpci + pe_rvu × pe_gpci + mp_rvu × mp_gpci) × conversion_factor",
    "conversion_factor": 35.9996,
    "source": {
        "label": "Physician relative value file (Q1 2018)",
        "cms_url": "https://www.cms.gov/medicare/medicare-fee-for-service-payment/physicianfeesched/downloads/rvu18ar1.zip",
        "local_source_url": "https://localishealth.com/sources/physician-fee-schedule/2018/A",
        "file": "PPRRVU18_JAN.csv",
        "row": 8392,
        "sha256": "b2c0cf1c065aa6f715438573eb2251381843a90991cf56818aaf33301c43c932"
    },
    "modified_at": "2026-08-04T03:08:09+00:00"
}