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CPT code 20694: Fixator removal, under anesthesia2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Connecticut

Removal of an external fixation frame under anesthesia, typically after fracture healing or completion of staged bone correction.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026One payment locality5.2K Medicare services in 2024

In Connecticut, Medicare pays $493.07 for 20694 in the office and $349.18 when it’s performed in a hospital or facility.

$493.07Office (non-facility)
$349.18Hospital or facility
+6.7%vs the national office rate ($461.93)

Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 20694 nationwide

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

We’ll open 20694 for the payment locality that covers the ZIP.

On this page 11 sections
  1. Rate in Connecticut
  2. What 20694 covers
  3. Compared with other areas
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Related codes
  8. Rate history
  9. Where it applies
  10. Billing questions
  11. Sources

What 20694 covers

An orthopedic surgeon removes an external fixation system while the patient is under anesthesia. The device may stabilize a fracture, support an osteotomy, or maintain alignment during limb-lengthening or deformity correction. This service is commonly performed in an operating room or another setting where anesthesia is provided. It concerns removal of the external frame and its fixation elements, rather than removal of buried internal plates, screws, or other implants.

Report this code when the external fixation system is removed under anesthesia; documentation should identify the device, the reason for removal, and the work performed. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment is statutorily restricted, and co-surgeon and team-surgery billing are not permitted.

This summary was written with AI assistance from CMS physician fee schedule data and checked against the CMS billing rules shown here. Rates on this page come directly from CMS files.

How Connecticut compares for 20694

Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the office rate for 20694 runs from $407.36 in Arkansas to $595.96 in San Benito County, CA. Connecticut pays $493.07. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.

20694 in Connecticut vs other payment areas
  1. Connecticut · this page$493.07
  2. Los Angeles, CA · California$513.00+$19.93
  3. Washington, DC area · District of Columbia$525.17+$32.10
  4. Miami, FL · Florida$514.43+$21.36
  5. Chicago, IL · Illinois$498.56+$5.49
  6. Manhattan, NY · New York$534.31+$41.24
  7. Alaska · Alaska$538.98+$45.91

Other areas in Connecticut first, then benchmark localities. Bars start at $0.

Every other payment area

20694 in every other Medicare payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaAlabama$413.45$296.55
ArkansasArkansas$407.36$292.60
ArizonaArizona$448.95$319.49
Bakersfield, CACalifornia$482.71$336.28
Chico, CACalifornia$480.50$334.07
El Centro, CACalifornia$480.63$334.20
Fresno, CACalifornia$480.50$334.07
Hanford, CACalifornia$480.50$334.07

20694 rates by state

Office rate range in each state. Select a state to see its payment localities.

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

Explore a state

Local rates. Clear comparisons.

Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.

$407.36

$538.98

Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.

View every state and territory as a table
20694 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$538.981
AL$413.451
AR$407.361
AZ$448.951
CA$480.50–$595.9629
CO$476.791
CT$493.071
DC$525.171
DE$456.411
FL$462.17–$514.433
GA$435.00–$472.402
GU$491.411
HI$491.411
IA$420.841
ID$424.331
IL$451.02–$498.564
IN$426.741
KS$420.411
KY$426.811
LA$426.76–$448.042
MA$474.51–$522.222
MD$464.72–$525.173
ME$428.26–$449.532
MI$439.56–$469.672
MN$451.951
MO$420.36–$447.773
MS$413.871
MT$461.881
NC$432.561
ND$446.261
NE$422.711
NH$470.781
NJ$497.32–$519.912
NM$442.651
NV$457.821
NY$439.28–$549.465
OH$436.371
OK$424.351
OR$452.91–$490.292
PA$436.19–$481.682
PR$464.801
RI$471.511
SC$435.461
SD$444.411
TN$422.761
TX$433.40–$476.398
UT$441.471
VA$449.14–$525.172
VI$464.801
VT$445.941
WA$473.14–$531.322
WI$431.231
WV$434.501
WY$455.071

See 20694 in every payment locality

How the 20694 rate is calculated

Each of 20694’s three RVUs is multiplied by a geographic index (GPCI) for the payment locality, added up, and multiplied by the conversion factor. Drag the indexes or enter a ZIP to see what moves the rate.

How the rate is built · 20694

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work4.17

4.17 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense8.87

8.87 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.79

0.79 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

13.8300

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$461.93

Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

The exact Connecticut inputs and CMS source lines

PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv

1,787

Code
20694
Physician work
4.17
Practice expense
8.87
Malpractice
0.79

GPCI2026.csv

38

Locality
Connecticut
Physician work
1.020
Practice expense
1.077
Malpractice
1.210
Office calculation for 20694 in Connecticut
ComponentRVULocality factorAdjusted
Physician work4.17× 1.0204.2534
Practice expense8.87× 1.0779.5530
Malpractice0.79× 1.2100.9559
Total RVUs14.7623
Conversion factor× 33.4009

Office rate, Connecticut$493.07

Office: (4.17 × 1.02 + 8.87 × 1.077 + 0.79 × 1.21) × $33.4009 = $493.07

Facility: (4.17 × 1.02 + 4.87 × 1.077 + 0.79 × 1.21) × $33.4009 = $349.18

Open 20694 in the RVU calculator

Payment rules and modifiers for 20694

20694 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 20694

Fixator removal, under anesthesia

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period090Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included.
Multiple procedures2Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%.
Bilateral (modifier 50)0The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)1Not paid (statutory restriction).
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.10/0.69/0.21Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 20694

Fixator removal, under anesthesia

90-day global period ends

Dec 30, 2026

Covers Sep 30, 2026 through Dec 30, 2026 (92 days, including the day before surgery).

Visit on Oct 31, 2026

Day 30 of the 90-day post-op period: related follow-up care is included in the surgical payment.

  • 24Unrelated E/M visit by the same physician
  • 79Unrelated procedure (starts its own global period)
  • 58Staged, more extensive, or therapy procedure that was planned
  • 78Unplanned return to the operating room for a related complication
SurgeryVisit
Sep 23, 2026Jan 10, 2027

Pre-op dayGlobal period

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

20694 without 51 · national office

$461.93

Fixator removal, under anesthesia

20694-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$230.97

When this isn’t the highest-valued procedure in the session, Medicare pays 50% of its fee schedule amount (the highest is paid at 100%).

When to use modifier 51

Codes related to 20694

Related codes aren’t interchangeable: bill the code that matches the service performed.

Codes related to 20694
CodeHow it relatesOffice range, Connecticut
Used instead
20693Fixator adjustment, requiring anesthesiaReports adjustment or revision under anesthesia when the external fixation system is retained.No office rate
20665Cranial device removal, tongs or haloRemoval code for cranial tongs or a halo rather than an external fixation system.$124.94
20670Implant removal, superficial hardwareRemoval of a superficial internal implant, not an external fixation frame.$396.81
20680Implant removal, deep implantRemoval of a deep internal implant, such as buried fixation hardware.$674.25

How 20694 has changed in Connecticut

20694 · Office / nonfacility

$493.07

Effective 2026-10-01

The base rate is $35.24 higher than on 2025-10-01, moving from $457.83 to $493.07 (7.7%).

It is unchanged from the immediately preceding available release, effective 2026-07-01.

Base rate by release · bars start at $0 · select a bar to compare

One bar per available release, ordered by effective date. Missing rates remain gaps. These comparisons hold the code, setting and locality identifiers constant; they do not isolate which policy or input caused a change.

What changed, release by release

  1. January 1, 2026

    RVU26A

    $457.83changed to$493.07

    • Conversion factor 32.3465 changed to 33.4009
    • Work RVU 4.28 changed to 4.17
    • Practice expense RVU 8.09 changed to 8.87
    • Work GPCI 1.022 changed to 1.020
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.091 changed to 1.077
    • Malpractice GPCI 1.207 changed to 1.210

    Held through RVU26B, RVU26C, RVU26D.

  2. January 1, 2025

    RVU25A

    $468.93changed to$457.83

    • Conversion factor 33.2875 changed to 32.3465
    • Practice expense RVU 8.04 changed to 8.09
    • Malpractice RVU 0.78 changed to 0.79

    Held through RVU25B, RVU25C, RVU25D.

  3. March 9, 2024

    RVU24AR

    $461.28changed to$468.93

    • Conversion factor 32.7442 changed to 33.2875

    Held through RVU24B, RVU24C, RVU24D.

  4. January 1, 2024

    RVU24A

    $473.44changed to$461.28

    • Conversion factor 33.8872 changed to 32.7442
    • Practice expense RVU 7.93 changed to 8.04
    • Malpractice RVU 0.77 changed to 0.78
    • Work GPCI 1.030 changed to 1.022
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.102 changed to 1.091
    • Malpractice GPCI 1.070 changed to 1.207

  5. January 1, 2023

    RVU23A

    $476.87changed to$473.44

    • Conversion factor 34.6062 changed to 33.8872
    • Practice expense RVU 7.74 changed to 7.93
    • Work GPCI 1.037 changed to 1.030
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.114 changed to 1.102
    • Malpractice GPCI 0.934 changed to 1.070

    Held through RVU23B, RVU23C, RVU23D.

  6. January 1, 2022

    RVU22A

    $479.39changed to$476.87

    • Conversion factor 34.8931 changed to 34.6062
    • Practice expense RVU 7.72 changed to 7.74
    • Malpractice RVU 0.75 changed to 0.77

    Held through RVU22B, RVU22C, RVU22D.

  7. January 1, 2021

    RVU21A

    $478.55changed to$479.39

    • Conversion factor 36.0896 changed to 34.8931
    • Practice expense RVU 7.20 changed to 7.72
    • Malpractice RVU 0.77 changed to 0.75
    • Work GPCI 1.029 changed to 1.037
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.113 changed to 1.114
    • Malpractice GPCI 1.094 changed to 0.934

    Held through RVU21B, RVU21C, RVU21D.

  8. January 1, 2020

    RVU20A

    $479.30changed to$478.55

    • Conversion factor 36.0391 changed to 36.0896
    • Practice expense RVU 7.15 changed to 7.20
    • Malpractice RVU 0.78 changed to 0.77
    • Work GPCI 1.021 changed to 1.029
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.112 changed to 1.113
    • Malpractice GPCI 1.255 changed to 1.094

    Held through RVU20B, RVU20C, RVU20D.

  9. January 1, 2019

    RVU19A

    $477.98changed to$479.30

    • Conversion factor 35.9996 changed to 36.0391
    • Practice expense RVU 7.13 changed to 7.15

    Held through RVU19B, RVU19C, RVU19D.

  10. January 1, 2018

    RVU18AR1

    $474.93changed to$477.98

    • Conversion factor 35.8887 changed to 35.9996
    • Practice expense RVU 7.07 changed to 7.13
    • Malpractice RVU 0.77 changed to 0.78
    • Work GPCI 1.023 changed to 1.021
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.117 changed to 1.112
    • Malpractice GPCI 1.244 changed to 1.255

    Held through RVU18B, RVU18C, RVU18D.

  11. January 1, 2017

    RVU17A

    $475.94changed to$474.93

    • Conversion factor 35.8043 changed to 35.8887
    • Practice expense RVU 7.08 changed to 7.07
    • Malpractice RVU 0.79 changed to 0.77
    • Work GPCI 1.024 changed to 1.023
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.121 changed to 1.117
    • Malpractice GPCI 1.232 changed to 1.244

    Held through RVU17B, RVU17C, RVU17D.

  12. January 1, 2016

    RVU16A

    $477.69changed to$475.94

    • Conversion factor 35.9335 changed to 35.8043
    • Practice expense RVU 7.07 changed to 7.08
    • Malpractice RVU 0.80 changed to 0.79

    Held through RVU16B, RVU16C, RVU16D.

  13. July 1, 2015

    RVU15C

    $475.32changed to$477.69

    • Conversion factor 35.7547 changed to 35.9335

    Held through RVU15D.

  14. January 1, 2015

    RVU15A

    $469.52changed to$475.32

    • Conversion factor 35.8228 changed to 35.7547
    • Practice expense RVU 7.01 changed to 7.07
    • Malpractice RVU 0.73 changed to 0.80
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.116 changed to 1.121
    • Malpractice GPCI 1.234 changed to 1.232

    Held through RVU15B.

  15. January 1, 2014

    RVU14A

    $472.60changed to$469.52

    • Conversion factor 34.0230 changed to 35.8228
    • Practice expense RVU 7.72 changed to 7.01
    • Malpractice RVU 0.76 changed to 0.73
    • Practice expense GPCI 1.110 changed to 1.116
    • Malpractice GPCI 1.235 changed to 1.234

    Held through RVU14B, RVU14C, RVU14D.

  16. January 1, 2013

    RVU13AR

    Earliest loaded release: $472.60

    Held through RVU13B, RVU13C, RVU13D.

Rates in every CMS release
Effective fromOfficeFacilityCMS release
2026-10-01$493.07$349.18RVU26D
2026-07-01$493.07$349.18RVU26C
2026-04-01$493.07$349.18RVU26B
2026-01-01$493.07$349.18RVU26A
2025-10-01$457.83$365.72RVU25D
2025-07-01$457.83$365.72RVU25C
2025-04-01$457.83$365.72RVU25B
2025-01-01$457.83$365.72RVU25A
2024-10-01$468.93$371.60RVU24D
2024-07-01$468.93$371.60RVU24C
2024-04-01$468.93$371.60RVU24B
2024-03-09$468.93$371.60RVU24AR
2024-01-01$461.28$365.54RVU24A
2023-10-01$473.44$372.24RVU23D
2023-07-01$473.44$372.24RVU23C
2023-04-01$473.44$372.24RVU23B
2023-01-01$473.44$372.24RVU23A
2022-10-01$476.87$372.01RVU22D
2022-07-01$476.87$372.01RVU22C
2022-04-01$476.87$372.01RVU22B
2022-01-01$476.87$372.01RVU22A
2021-10-01$479.39$371.72RVU21D
2021-07-01$479.39$371.72RVU21C
2021-04-01$479.39$371.72RVU21B
2021-01-01$479.39$371.72RVU21A
2020-10-01$478.55$376.93RVU20D
2020-07-01$478.55$376.93RVU20C
2020-04-01$478.55$376.93RVU20B
2020-01-01$478.55$376.93RVU20A
2019-10-01$479.30$379.92RVU19D
2019-07-01$479.30$379.92RVU19C
2019-04-01$479.30$379.92RVU19B
2019-01-01$479.30$379.92RVU19A
2018-10-01$477.98$379.90RVU18D
2018-07-01$477.98$379.90RVU18C
2018-04-01$477.98$379.90RVU18B
2018-01-01$477.98$379.90RVU18AR1
2017-10-01$474.93$377.92RVU17D
2017-07-01$474.93$377.92RVU17C
2017-04-01$474.93$377.92RVU17B
2017-01-01$474.93$377.92RVU17A
2016-10-01$475.94$378.40RVU16D
2016-07-01$475.94$378.40RVU16C
2016-04-01$475.94$378.40RVU16B
2016-01-01$475.94$378.40RVU16A
2015-10-01$477.69$379.00RVU15D
2015-07-01$477.69$379.00RVU15C
2015-04-01$475.32$377.12RVU15B
2015-01-01$475.32$377.12RVU15A
2014-10-01$469.52$373.97RVU14D
2014-07-01$469.52$373.97RVU14C
2014-04-01$469.52$373.97RVU14B
2014-01-01$469.52$373.97RVU14A
2013-10-01$472.60$371.39RVU13D
2013-07-01$472.60$371.39RVU13C
2013-04-01$472.60$371.39RVU13B
2013-01-01$472.60$371.39RVU13AR

Price 20694 for an earlier date of service

Where the Connecticut rate applies

Connecticut is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 215 cities and communities in Connecticut. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.

  • Ansonia
  • Ball Pond
  • Baltic
  • Bantam
  • Bethel
  • Bethlehem Village
  • Bigelow Corners
  • Blue Hills

Browse all communities in Connecticut

20694 billing questions

When should this code be chosen instead of 20693?

Use 20694 when the external fixation system is removed under anesthesia. Code 20693 describes adjustment or revision of the system under anesthesia when it remains in place.

Is this the code for removing buried plates or screws?

No. It covers removal of an external fixation system. Codes 20670 and 20680 concern removal of superficial and deep internal implants, respectively.

Can modifier 50 be used when fixators are removed on both sides?

No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code. Report the service according to the documented procedure rather than appending modifier 50.

What documentation supports reporting 20694?

Document the external fixation device, the clinical reason for removal, that removal was performed under anesthesia, and the operative work completed.

How does the 90-day global period affect follow-up billing?

The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included in the global period.

Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be reported?

CMS lists a statutory restriction on assistant-at-surgery payment for this code. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.

Where these rates come from

FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indexes and the conversion factor. Services without a published rate are labeled, never given a made-up amount. Amounts are Medicare allowed amounts before claim adjustments: not a patient’s bill or a commercial rate.

CMS RVU26D · effective Oct 1, 2026 through the day before Jan 1, 2027

Show the CMS file lines behind this rate
RVUs for 20694PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 1,787 (RVU26D)
Geographic factors for ConnecticutGPCI2026.csv, line 38 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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