CPT code 26476: Tendon lengthening, hand or finger2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Florida
Reports surgical lengthening of a hand or finger tendon when the surgeon increases tendon length to address restricted motion or abnormal tension.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 26476 in Florida.
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 26476 covers
A hand surgeon lengthens a tendon in the hand or finger to change its tension and improve motion or correct a tendon-related deformity. The procedure may be part of operative treatment for a contracture or an imbalance affecting finger position. It is generally performed in an operating room, with the surgeon identifying the tendon and documenting the operative changes made to it.
Report the code for each tendon treated, and document the tendon, hand or finger involved, the clinical problem, and the lengthening performed. This major procedure has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during that period. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for it; 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 26476 pays more and less in Florida
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Lauderdale, FL | Unavailable | $684.21 |
| Miami, FL | Unavailable | $723.41 |
| Rest of Florida | Unavailable | $647.92 |
How the 26476 rate is calculated
Each of 26476’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 · 26476
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work5.22
5.22 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense13.07
13.07 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.12
1.12 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
19.4100
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$648.31
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 26476
26476 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 26476
Tendon lengthening, hand or finger
| 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) | 1 | Not paid (statutory restriction). |
| 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 · 26476
Tendon lengthening, hand or finger
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
26476 without 51 · national facility
$648.31
Tendon lengthening, hand or finger
26476-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$324.16
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%).
26476 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 26477Tendon shorteningHand or finger, each tendon
- Choose 26476 when the surgeon lengthens a hand or finger tendon; choose 26477 when the operative work shortens it.
- 26478Tendon lengtheningHand tendon
- Both codes concern tendon lengthening in the hand region. Use the full CPT descriptors and documented tendon and anatomic scope to distinguish them.
- 26440Flexor tenolysisPalm and finger
- 26440 describes tendon release in the palm or finger, while 26476 describes lengthening a tendon. The operative work, not the general goal of improved motion, determines the code.
26476 billing questions
When should this code be chosen instead of tendon shortening?
Use this code when the operative work lengthens the hand or finger tendon. Tendon shortening is the counterpart when the surgeon reduces tendon length.
How many units should be reported?
Report the service for each tendon lengthened. The operative report should identify each tendon treated and the work performed.
Is postoperative care separately reported during the global period?
Related postoperative care for 90 days is included, as is the day-before preoperative visit. The global period begins with the major surgery.
Can modifier 50 be used when both hands are treated?
No. The CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply, and modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code.
Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be reported?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
What happens when another procedure is performed in the same session?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures in the session are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction.
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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