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CPT code 26040: Palm contracture release, percutaneous technique2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Percutaneous palmar cord release divides contracted fascia in a hand with Dupuytren’s contracture to improve finger extension without an open approach.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities5K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $308.62 for 26040 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 26040

Palm contracture release, percutaneous technique

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
3.37
Total RVUs
9.24
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$308.62

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 26040 →Billed by an NP, PA or therapist? →

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

Medicare pays by the payment locality where the service is performed.

On this page 10 sections
  1. Medicare rate
  2. What 26040 covers
  3. By payment locality
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Similar codes
  8. Related codes
  9. Billing questions
  10. Sources

What 26040 covers

The physician releases a contracted palmar fascial cord by dividing it through the skin, typically with a needle or similar percutaneous instrument. Hand surgeons commonly perform this treatment for Dupuytren’s contracture when a cord limits finger extension, in an office or outpatient surgical setting. The technique releases the cord rather than removing a segment of palmar fascia through an open incision.

Choose this code when the documented method is percutaneous; an open release or fasciectomy is a different service. The record should identify the treated hand and cord, the contracture and its effect on motion, and the technique used. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For bilateral procedures reported with modifier 50, payment is 150%. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted; 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 26040 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

26040 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$277.72
AlaskaUnavailable$367.00
ArizonaUnavailable$300.21
ArkansasUnavailable$273.86
Atlanta, GAUnavailable$315.93
Austin, TXUnavailable$316.66
Bakersfield, CAUnavailable$319.50
Baltimore area, MDUnavailable$328.13
Beaumont, TXUnavailable$291.37
Brazoria, TXUnavailable$303.39

26040 rates by state

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

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Local rates. Clear comparisons.

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

View every state and territory as a table
26040 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AKNo published base rate1
ALNo published base rate1
ARNo published base rate1
AZNo published base rate1
CANo published base rate29
CONo published base rate1
CTNo published base rate1
DCNo published base rate1
DENo published base rate1
FLNo published base rate3
GANo published base rate2
GUNo published base rate1
HINo published base rate1
IANo published base rate1
IDNo published base rate1
ILNo published base rate4
INNo published base rate1
KSNo published base rate1
KYNo published base rate1
LANo published base rate2
MANo published base rate2
MDNo published base rate3
MENo published base rate2
MINo published base rate2
MNNo published base rate1
MONo published base rate3
MSNo published base rate1
MTNo published base rate1
NCNo published base rate1
NDNo published base rate1
NENo published base rate1
NHNo published base rate1
NJNo published base rate2
NMNo published base rate1
NVNo published base rate1
NYNo published base rate5
OHNo published base rate1
OKNo published base rate1
ORNo published base rate2
PANo published base rate2
PRNo published base rate1
RINo published base rate1
SCNo published base rate1
SDNo published base rate1
TNNo published base rate1
TXNo published base rate8
UTNo published base rate1
VANo published base rate2
VINo published base rate1
VTNo published base rate1
WANo published base rate2
WINo published base rate1
WVNo published base rate1
WYNo published base rate1

How the 26040 rate is calculated

Each of 26040’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 · 26040

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work3.37

3.37 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense5.25

5.25 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.62

0.62 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

9.2400

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$308.62

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 26040

26040 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 26040

Palm contracture release, percutaneous technique

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)1Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount.
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 · 26040

Palm contracture release, percutaneous technique

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 50 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

26040 without 50 · national facility

$308.62

Palm contracture release, percutaneous technique

26040-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$462.93

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).

When to use modifier 50

26040 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 26040

    Palm contracture release, percutaneous technique3.37 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 26045

    Palmar release, open division of fascia5.59 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 26121

    Palmar fasciectomy, palm only7.54 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 26055

    Trigger finger release, finger tendon sheath3.03 wRVU

    $629.61

How to choose

26045Palmar releaseOpen division of fascia
26040 describes percutaneous division of a palmar cord; 26045 is used when the release is performed through an open approach.
26121Palmar fasciectomyPalm only
26040 releases a cord percutaneously. 26121 describes an open partial palmar fasciectomy, which removes palmar fascia.
26055Trigger finger releaseFinger tendon sheath
26055 treats a stenosing flexor tendon sheath, such as trigger finger. 26040 addresses a contracted palmar fascial cord.

Codes related to 26040

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

Codes related to 26040
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
26045Palmar release, open division of fasciaOpen palmar release for a contracture; distinguish it from the percutaneous approach.No office rate
26121Palmar fasciectomy, palm onlyOpen partial palmar fasciectomy for contracture, rather than percutaneous cord division.No office rate
26123Dupuytren release, palm and one digitPalmar fasciectomy with release of a single digit, a more extensive open treatment.No office rate

26040 billing questions

How does 26040 differ from 26045?

26040 is for a percutaneous cord release. Use 26045 when the palmar release is performed through an open approach.

When is a percutaneous release appropriate to report?

Report it when the physician divides a contracted palmar fascial cord through the skin, such as for Dupuytren’s contracture limiting finger extension. The documentation should support the percutaneous method.

Can an open fasciectomy be reported as 26040?

No. Removal of palmar fascia through an open approach is a different service; distinguish it from percutaneous division of a cord.

What postoperative care is included?

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

How is a bilateral procedure paid?

CMS pays bilateral procedures reported with modifier 50 at 150%.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted 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 26040PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,535 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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