2025 CPT code 36592
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Surgery - Vascular Introduction and Injection Procedures Surgery/Cardiovascular System Feed
Collection of blood specimen using established central or peripheral catheter, venous, not otherwise specified.
Modifiers may be applicable in certain situations. For instance, modifier 52 (Reduced Services) might be used if the procedure is not completed as intended.
Medical necessity is determined by the clinical need for the laboratory tests for which the blood is being drawn. The documentation should support the reason for the blood tests, indicating why they are medically necessary for the patient's diagnosis or treatment.
The healthcare professional, typically a nurse or physician, is responsible for performing the blood collection in a sterile manner, ensuring patient comfort and safety, and proper handling of the specimen.This includes preparing the patient, accessing the catheter, collecting the appropriate volume of blood, and flushing the catheter with heparin to maintain patency.
- Surgery/Cardiovascular System
- Surgery - Cardiovascular System - Vascular Introduction and Injection Procedures - Central Venous Access Procedures - Other Central Venous Access Procedures.
In simple words: Drawing a blood sample from an existing IV line or central venous catheter.
Collection of blood specimen using established central or peripheral catheter, venous, not otherwise specified.This code is used when a blood sample is collected from an existing central venous access device or peripheral intravenous catheter. The procedure involves accessing the catheter, withdrawing a small amount of blood to discard (to clear the line), then collecting the blood specimen, and finally flushing the catheter with a heparin solution to prevent clotting.
Example 1: A patient with a central venous catheter for chemotherapy requires routine blood work monitoring., A patient in the intensive care unit with a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) needs frequent blood draws for lab tests., A patient receiving long-term intravenous antibiotics through a peripheral IV catheter requires blood cultures drawn.
Documentation should include the type and location of the catheter, the date and time of the blood draw, the amount of blood drawn, the purpose of the blood collection, and any complications encountered.
** It is important to differentiate this code (36592) from 36591, which is specifically for blood collection from completely implantable venous access devices. Correct coding depends on accurate documentation of the type of venous access device used.
- Revenue Code: P6C - MINOR PROCEDURES - OTHER (MEDICARE FEE SCHEDULE)
- Payment Status: Active
- Specialties:Critical Care Medicine, Oncology, Hospital Medicine, General Surgery, Interventional Radiology, Emergency Medicine
- Place of Service:Inpatient Hospital, Outpatient Hospital, Office, Home, Skilled Nursing Facility, Nursing Facility