CPT code 25651: Fracture fixation, percutaneous ulnar styloid2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $473.62 for 25651 nationally in a facility.

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

What 25651 covers

An orthopedic or hand surgeon uses fixation placed through the skin, such as pins or wires, to stabilize an ulnar styloid fracture without surgically exposing the fracture site. This approach may be selected when the fracture requires fixation but can be stabilized percutaneously. Ulnar styloid fractures may occur alongside distal radius fractures, so the record should identify the treated bone and fracture.

Report this code for the percutaneous fixation service, not for closed treatment with immobilization alone or fixation performed through an open exposure. The operative report should document the ulnar styloid fracture, the percutaneous technique, and the fixation 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%. For bilateral procedures, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity; 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 25651 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

25651 rates by state

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

How the 25651 rate is calculated

Each of 25651’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 25651

25651 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

25651 compared with similar codes

How to choose

25650Fracture treatmentUlnar styloid, no manipulation

Choose 25650 for closed treatment of the ulnar styloid fracture without percutaneous fixation; choose 25651 when percutaneous fixation is performed.

25652Ulnar styloid fractureOpen treatment

25652 describes open treatment of the ulnar styloid fracture. This code is for fixation without direct open exposure of the fracture.

25606Distal radius fixationPercutaneous skeletal fixation

25606 concerns percutaneous fixation of a distal radius fracture, not the ulnar styloid. Select by the bone treated and document each distinct fracture service.

Codes related to 25651

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