CPT code 26121: Palmar fasciectomy, palm only2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $561.80 for 26121 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 26121 covers

The surgeon removes contracted fascia or cords in the palm to improve a fixed palmar contracture, commonly from Dupuytren disease. The work covered by this code is confined to the palm; release of a contracted finger changes the code choice. Hand, orthopedic, and plastic surgeons typically perform the operation in an operating room or ambulatory surgery setting.

Select the code from the operative extent, not simply the diagnosis or degree of contracture. The operative report should identify the palmar tissue treated and make clear whether the release extended into a digit. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When other procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction. For bilateral surgery, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. CMS does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service; 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 26121 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

26121 rates by state

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

How the 26121 rate is calculated

Each of 26121’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 26121

26121 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

26121 compared with similar codes

How to choose

26123Dupuytren releasePalm and one digit

Use 26121 when the operation is limited to the palm. Use 26123 when release includes one contracted digit.

26040Palm contracture releasePercutaneous technique

This describes percutaneous palmar fascial release; 26121 represents surgical removal of contracted palmar fascia.

26045Palmar releaseOpen division of fascia

This describes open release of palmar fascia. Choose 26121 when the operative work removes the contracted fascia rather than simply releasing it.

26125Palmar fasciectomyEach additional digit

26125 describes release of each additional digit in the 26123 coding context; it is not the palm-only service represented by 26121.

Codes related to 26121

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