CPT code 26370: Tendon repair, without free graft2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in California
Reports surgical repair of an extensor tendon in the hand or finger without a free graft, such as repair after a tendon laceration.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 26370 in California.
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 26370 covers
This code describes operative repair of an extensor tendon in the hand or a finger without using a free tendon graft. A hand surgeon or other qualified surgeon may perform the repair after an injury such as a laceration that interrupts tendon continuity and impairs finger or thumb extension. The procedure is generally performed in an operating room, with the operative report identifying the tendon repaired and the repair technique.
Select the code based on the documented tendon, repair, and use or absence of a free graft; distinguish it from flexor tendon repair and grafted repair codes. Report each eligible tendon as directed by CPT guidance, supported by the operative details. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care for 90 days. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented 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 26370 pays more and less in California
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
29 of 29 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield, CA | Unavailable | $792.76 |
| Chico, CA | Unavailable | $789.02 |
| El Centro, CA | Unavailable | $789.24 |
| Fresno, CA | Unavailable | $789.02 |
| Hanford, CA | Unavailable | $789.02 |
| Los Angeles, CA | Unavailable | $842.02 |
| Madera, CA | Unavailable | $789.02 |
| Marin County, CA | Unavailable | $954.15 |
| Merced, CA | Unavailable | $789.02 |
| Modesto, CA | Unavailable | $789.02 |
| Napa, CA | Unavailable | $904.78 |
| Oxnard, CA | Unavailable | $836.63 |
| Redding, CA | Unavailable | $789.02 |
| Rest of California | Unavailable | $789.02 |
| Riverside, CA | Unavailable | $803.44 |
| Sacramento, CA | Unavailable | $825.55 |
| Salinas, CA | Unavailable | $822.45 |
| San Benito County, CA | Unavailable | $976.45 |
| San Diego, CA | Unavailable | $840.17 |
| San Francisco, CA | Unavailable | $952.63 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | Unavailable | $809.57 |
| Santa Clara County, CA | Unavailable | $970.23 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | Unavailable | $846.85 |
| Santa Maria, CA | Unavailable | $825.09 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | Unavailable | $855.19 |
| Stockton, CA | Unavailable | $789.02 |
| Vallejo, CA | Unavailable | $902.59 |
| Visalia, CA | Unavailable | $789.02 |
| Yuba City, CA | Unavailable | $789.02 |
How the 26370 rate is calculated
Each of 26370’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 · 26370
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work7.10
7.10 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense14.31
14.31 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.34
1.34 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
22.7500
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$759.87
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 26370
26370 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 26370
Tendon repair, without free 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) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| 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 · 26370
Tendon repair, without free 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 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
26370 without 51 · national facility
$759.87
Tendon repair, without free graft
26370-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$379.94
When this isn’t the highest-valued procedure in the session, Medicare pays 50% of its fee schedule amount (the highest is paid at 100%).
26370 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 26350Flexor tendon repairPrimary, zones 1-2
- 26350 is for flexor tendon repair; 26370 is for extensor tendon repair. Identify the tendon and its function from the operative report.
- 26356Flexor tendon repairSecondary, without free graft
- 26356 is in the flexor tendon repair family. Choose 26370 when the repaired structure is an extensor tendon.
- 26372Hand tendon repairSecondary profundus repair with graft
- 26372 is a related extensor tendon repair code associated with graft use. This code describes repair without a free graft.
- 26390Tendon revisionHand or finger
- 26390 describes revision of a hand or finger tendon; 26370 reports tendon repair rather than revision.
26370 billing questions
How does this differ from the hand flexor tendon repair codes?
This code is for an extensor tendon repair. Codes in the 26350–26358 family describe flexor tendon repairs; use the operative report to identify which tendon was repaired.
When should a grafted repair code be considered?
Use a graft-related code when the documented repair uses a free tendon graft. This code describes repair without a free graft.
Can the surgeon report modifier 50 for repairs on both hands?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code. Apply the applicable coding instructions for the documented services rather than modifier 50.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during the 90 days after surgery.
When is an assistant-at-surgery claim payable?
Medicare assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation that the assistant's involvement was medically necessary.
Can co-surgeons or a surgical team report this repair?
CMS does not permit co-surgeons or team surgery for this code.
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
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