CPT code 21750: Sternal repair, postoperative separation2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Florida
Repairs separation of a previously divided sternum, typically after median sternotomy, by reapproximating and stabilizing the sternal edges.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 21750 in Florida.
Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.
Your location
On this page 9 sections
What 21750 covers
This operation addresses separation of the sternum after a median sternotomy, commonly following cardiac or thoracic surgery. The surgeon exposes the separated sternal edges, prepares them for repair, and reapproximates and stabilizes the sternum. Debridement may be part of the repair when needed. Cardiothoracic surgeons typically perform the procedure in an operating room, generally in a facility setting.
Report 21750 when the operative service repairs a separated median sternotomy, rather than treating a sternal fracture or reconstructing the sternum for a deformity. The operative note should identify the prior sternotomy, the separation, and the repair performed; debridement may be included. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is 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.
Where 21750 pays more and less in Florida
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Lauderdale, FL | Unavailable | $736.92 |
| Miami, FL | Unavailable | $808.21 |
| Rest of Florida | Unavailable | $697.82 |
How the 21750 rate is calculated
Each of 21750’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 · 21750
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work11.12
11.12 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense5.93
5.93 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice2.73
2.73 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
19.7800
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$660.67
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 21750
21750 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 21750
Sternal repair, postoperative separation
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 090 | Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included. |
| Multiple procedures | 2 | Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 2 | Paid. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.10/0.69/0.21 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 21750
Sternal repair, postoperative separation
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.
Pre-op dayGlobal period
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
21750 without 51 · national facility
$660.67
Sternal repair, postoperative separation
21750-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$330.34
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%).
21750 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 21740Sternal reconstructionOpen reconstruction
- 21750 repairs separation of a prior median sternotomy. 21740 is for sternal reconstruction, such as for a congenital or acquired deformity.
- 21820Sternum fracture careClosed, without manipulation
- 21820 describes closed treatment of a sternal fracture. Choose 21750 when the problem is separation of a prior sternotomy.
- 21825Sternal fracture repairOpen treatment
- 21825 is open treatment of a sternal fracture. It is not the code for repairing a separated median sternotomy.
21750 billing questions
When should 21750 be chosen instead of a sternal fracture code?
Use 21750 for repair of separation at a prior median sternotomy. Sternal fracture treatment codes apply when the operative indication is a fracture.
Can debridement be billed separately with 21750?
The repair may include debridement. The operative note should describe the work performed, but debridement that is part of the sternal separation repair is not a separate service.
Does modifier 50 apply to this repair?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code and anatomy.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; team surgery is not permitted.
How are other procedures in the same session paid?
Under the standard multiple-procedure rule, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to a 50% reduction.
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
Fee sheets · Coming soon
Put 21750 and the rest of your codes on one sheet
Your codes at your locality, with payer contracts beside Medicare.
Join the waitlist