CPT code 26479: Tendon shortening, hand or finger extensor2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in California
Shortens an extensor tendon in the hand or finger when excess tendon length needs correction to restore appropriate tension and function.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 26479 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 26479 covers
A hand surgeon shortens an extensor tendon in the hand or finger to correct excessive tendon length and improve tendon tension or motion. The operation may be selected when the documented problem is addressed by shortening the tendon itself, rather than by releasing it, lengthening it, or changing its position. The operative report should identify the treated tendon and hand or finger, describe the shortening performed, and connect the procedure to the functional problem being treated.
Report the service for each tendon shortened, with documentation supporting the tendon and procedure performed. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. 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 50% multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. An assistant at surgery may be paid; 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 26479 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 | $706.11 |
| Chico, CA | Unavailable | $702.73 |
| El Centro, CA | Unavailable | $702.93 |
| Fresno, CA | Unavailable | $702.73 |
| Hanford, CA | Unavailable | $702.73 |
| Los Angeles, CA | Unavailable | $751.11 |
| Madera, CA | Unavailable | $702.73 |
| Marin County, CA | Unavailable | $853.54 |
| Merced, CA | Unavailable | $702.73 |
| Modesto, CA | Unavailable | $702.73 |
| Napa, CA | Unavailable | $808.68 |
| Oxnard, CA | Unavailable | $746.48 |
| Redding, CA | Unavailable | $702.73 |
| Rest of California | Unavailable | $702.73 |
| Riverside, CA | Unavailable | $715.94 |
| Sacramento, CA | Unavailable | $736.04 |
| Salinas, CA | Unavailable | $733.30 |
| San Benito County, CA | Unavailable | $873.75 |
| San Diego, CA | Unavailable | $749.73 |
| San Francisco, CA | Unavailable | $852.14 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | Unavailable | $721.76 |
| Santa Clara County, CA | Unavailable | $868.04 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | Unavailable | $756.16 |
| Santa Maria, CA | Unavailable | $735.82 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | Unavailable | $763.65 |
| Stockton, CA | Unavailable | $702.73 |
| Vallejo, CA | Unavailable | $806.66 |
| Visalia, CA | Unavailable | $702.73 |
| Yuba City, CA | Unavailable | $702.73 |
How the 26479 rate is calculated
Each of 26479’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 · 26479
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work5.76
5.76 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense13.25
13.25 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.23
1.23 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
20.2400
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$676.03
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 26479
26479 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 26479
Tendon shortening, hand or finger extensor
| 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 · 26479
Tendon shortening, hand or finger extensor
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
26479 without 51 · national facility
$676.03
Tendon shortening, hand or finger extensor
26479-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$338.02
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%).
26479 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 26477Tendon shorteningHand or finger, each tendon
- Choose 26479 for shortening an extensor tendon of the hand or finger; 26477 is for shortening a flexor tendon.
- 26478Tendon lengtheningHand tendon
- 26479 shortens the tendon; 26478 is a lengthening procedure. The operative objective and work performed determine the choice.
- 26437Tendon realignmentHand or finger extensor
- Use 26479 when the tendon is shortened. Code 26437 describes tendon realignment, where repositioning rather than shortening is the correction.
26479 billing questions
How is this code distinguished from 26477?
This code describes shortening an extensor tendon of the hand or finger. Code 26477 is the corresponding shortening service for a flexor tendon.
What documentation supports reporting this service?
Document the hand or finger, the specific extensor tendon treated, the reason shortening was needed, and the operative work that shortened it.
Can modifier 50 be used when both hands are treated?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code. Report the performed service according to the applicable claim instructions rather than using modifier 50.
How are other procedures in the same session paid?
CMS applies the standard multiple-procedure reduction: the highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures in the session are subject to a 50% reduction.
Is related postoperative care separately included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
May an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
An assistant at surgery may be paid for this service. 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
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