CPT code 23500: Clavicle fracture care, without manipulation2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $258.19 for 23500 nationally in the office and $245.16 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $226.74–$334.85.

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

What 23500 covers

This service covers nonoperative management of a clavicle fracture without manually repositioning the fragments. Care may include assessing alignment, choosing support such as a sling, and providing activity restrictions and follow-up instructions. Orthopedic clinicians commonly provide the treatment in an outpatient clinic or emergency setting, or after referral from another clinician.

Report 23500 when the record supports definitive closed fracture care without manipulation, rather than evaluation alone. Document the affected clavicle, fracture diagnosis, treatment undertaken, and plan for immobilization and monitoring. The CMS global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For procedures performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Bilateral treatment reported with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery services are not paid; co-surgeons and team surgery 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.

Where 23500 pays more and less

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

109 of 109 payment localities

23500 rates by state

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

How the 23500 rate is calculated

Each of 23500’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.

Payment rules and modifiers for 23500

23500 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 50

23500 compared with similar codes

How to choose

23505Clavicle fractureWith manipulation

Both codes cover closed clavicle fracture care; 23505 is for treatment that includes manipulation, while 23500 is for treatment without it.

23515Clavicle fracture repairOpen treatment

Use 23515 when the clavicle fracture is treated operatively with internal fixation, rather than by closed care without manipulation.

23540AC joint dislocationWithout manipulation

23540 addresses closed treatment of an acromioclavicular dislocation, not a fracture of the clavicle.

Codes related to 23500

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

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

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates