CPT code 23550: AC joint repair, open treatment without graft2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Louisiana
Report open surgical repair or stabilization of an acute or chronic acromioclavicular dislocation when the reconstruction is performed without a graft.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 23550 in Louisiana.
Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.
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What 23550 covers
An orthopedic surgeon uses an open approach to treat an acromioclavicular joint dislocation, typically by repairing or stabilizing the disrupted joint and supporting ligaments. The injury is commonly a traumatic separation at the top of the shoulder. This code covers open treatment without the graft-based reconstruction represented by its related code, 23552. These procedures are generally performed in a surgical facility.
Select the code based on the documented joint injury and the treatment actually performed: open repair or stabilization without a graft, rather than closed management or treatment of a clavicle fracture. The operative report should identify the acromioclavicular dislocation and describe the open treatment. Medicare 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 one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. For bilateral reporting with modifier 50, CMS pays 150%. 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 23550 pays more and less in Louisiana
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans, LA | Unavailable | $532.95 |
| Rest of Louisiana | Unavailable | $510.56 |
How the 23550 rate is calculated
Each of 23550’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 · 23550
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work7.40
7.40 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense7.33
7.33 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.46
1.46 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
16.1900
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$540.76
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 23550
23550 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 23550
AC joint repair, open treatment without graft
| 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) | 1 | Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount. |
| 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 · 23550
AC joint repair, open treatment without graft
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 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
23550 without 50 · national facility
$540.76
AC joint repair, open treatment without graft
23550-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$811.14
Both sides on one line with modifier 50 are paid at 150% of the fee schedule amount (subject to multiple-procedure rules with other procedures).
23550 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 23540AC joint dislocationWithout manipulation
- 23540 is closed treatment without manipulation. Choose 23550 when the surgeon performs open treatment of the acromioclavicular dislocation.
- 23545AC joint treatmentClosed, with manipulation
- 23545 is closed treatment with manipulation; 23550 describes open surgical treatment.
- 23552AC joint reconstructionWith graft
- Both describe open treatment of an acromioclavicular dislocation; 23552 is the graft-based reconstruction code.
- 23530Joint dislocation surgerySternoclavicular, without graft
- 23530 treats a sternoclavicular dislocation. Code 23550 is for an acromioclavicular dislocation.
23550 billing questions
When should 23550 be chosen instead of 23552?
Use 23550 for open treatment of an acromioclavicular dislocation without graft-based reconstruction. Use 23552 when the open treatment includes a graft.
How does 23550 differ from 23545?
23550 describes open surgical treatment. 23545 is for closed treatment of an acromioclavicular dislocation with manipulation.
Are routine postoperative visits separately reported?
Related postoperative care during the 90-day global period is included, along with the day-before preoperative visit.
How is bilateral treatment reported?
Report modifier 50 for bilateral treatment; CMS pays the procedure at 150%.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, while team surgery is 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
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