CPT code 26373: Flexor tendon repair, secondary, zone 2, with graft2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Illinois
Reports secondary reconstruction of a zone 2 finger flexor tendon using a free tendon graft, with selection based on repair history and tendon zone.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 26373 in Illinois.
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 26373 covers
A hand surgeon uses this code for secondary reconstruction of a flexor tendon in zone 2 when a free tendon graft is used. The procedure addresses a tendon that cannot be restored with a direct repair or advancement alone, such as a chronic tendon defect after an injury. It is typically performed in an operating room, with the operative report identifying the affected tendon, zone, graft use, and secondary nature of the reconstruction.
Report one unit for each tendon treated, selecting the code based on the tendon zone, whether the repair is primary or secondary, and whether a free graft is used. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, CMS pays the highest-valued procedure in full and reduces the others to 50%. Modifier 50 is not appropriate for this code. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeon and team-surgery billing 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 26373 pays more and less in Illinois
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | Unavailable | $948.28 |
| East St. Louis, IL | Unavailable | $884.44 |
| Rest of Illinois | Unavailable | $854.48 |
| Suburban Chicago, IL | Unavailable | $929.69 |
How the 26373 rate is calculated
Each of 26373’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 · 26373
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work8.20
8.20 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense16.06
16.06 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.74
1.74 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
26.0000
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$868.42
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 26373
26373 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 26373
Flexor tendon repair, secondary, zone 2, with 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) | 2 | Paid. |
| 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 · 26373
Flexor tendon repair, secondary, zone 2, with 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
26373 without 51 · national facility
$868.42
Flexor tendon repair, secondary, zone 2, with graft
26373-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$434.21
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%).
26373 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 26372Hand tendon repairSecondary profundus repair with graft
- Both involve secondary flexor tendon reconstruction with a free graft. The tendon zone distinguishes them: 26373 is for zone 2; 26372 is for other zones.
- 26358Hand tendon repairRepair or graft
- Both involve zone 2 reconstruction with a free graft, but 26358 is primary and 26373 is secondary.
- 26357Flexor tendon repairZone II, secondary, no graft
- Both describe secondary zone 2 flexor tendon reconstruction. Choose 26373 when a free graft is used; 26357 describes reconstruction without one.
26373 billing questions
How is 26373 distinguished from 26372?
Both describe secondary flexor tendon reconstruction with a free graft. The tendon zone determines which code to select: 26373 is for zone 2, while 26372 is for a zone other than zone 2.
When would 26358 be used instead?
26358 describes a primary zone 2 flexor tendon reconstruction using a free graft. Use 26373 when the operative circumstances call for a secondary reconstruction.
Is the code reported per tendon or per hand?
Report one unit for each tendon reconstructed. The operative note should identify each treated tendon and support the zone and graft details.
Can modifier 50 be used when both hands are treated?
No. Modifier 50 is not appropriate for this code; report the services according to the applicable code and claim-line instructions.
How does the multiple procedure rule affect payment?
For procedures in the same session, CMS pays the highest-valued procedure in full and reduces the other procedures to 50%. This code has a 90-day global period.
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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