CPT code 26492: Tendon transfer, thumb with free tendon graft2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Mississippi

Reports thumb tendon reconstruction that uses a free tendon graft to reroute tendon function when the native tendon cannot restore useful motion.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026One payment locality79 Medicare services in 2024

In Mississippi, Medicare pays $813.22 for 26492 in a facility. There’s no office rate.

Not available in this settingOffice (non-facility)
$813.22Hospital or facility

Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 26492 nationwide

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

We’ll open 26492 for the payment locality that covers the ZIP.

On this page 11 sections
  1. Rate in Mississippi
  2. What 26492 covers
  3. Compared with other areas
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Related codes
  8. Rate history
  9. Where it applies
  10. Billing questions
  11. Sources

What 26492 covers

An orthopedic or hand surgeon uses a free tendon graft to reconstruct a thumb tendon pathway, redirecting tendon force to restore useful thumb motion when the native tendon is deficient. The procedure is typically performed in an operating room for reconstructive problems such as tendon loss or rupture. The operative work includes placing and attaching the graft as part of the thumb tendon reconstruction. This code distinguishes a graft-based thumb procedure from tendon transfer without a graft and from graft procedures at other hand sites.

The operative report should identify the thumb tendon or functional deficit, use of a free graft, and the transfer route and attachments. CMS assigns a 90-day major-surgery global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is 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.

How Mississippi compares for 26492

Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the facility rate for 26492 runs from $796.85 in Arkansas to $1,133.01 in San Benito County, CA. Mississippi pays $813.22. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.

26492 in Mississippi vs other payment areas
  1. Mississippi · this page$813.22
  2. Los Angeles, CA · California$986.63+$173.41
  3. Washington, DC area · District of Columbia$1,018.97+$205.75
  4. Miami, FL · Florida$1,028.25+$215.03
  5. Chicago, IL · Illinois$995.97+$182.75
  6. Manhattan, NY · New York$1,046.34+$233.12
  7. Alaska · Alaska$1,065.30+$252.08

Other areas in Mississippi first, then benchmark localities. Bars start at $0.

Every other payment area

26492 in every other Medicare payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaAlabama—$808.56
ArkansasArkansas—$796.85
ArizonaArizona—$876.71
Bakersfield, CACalifornia—$931.12
Chico, CACalifornia—$925.48
El Centro, CACalifornia—$925.82
Fresno, CACalifornia—$925.48
Hanford, CACalifornia—$925.48

26492 rates by state

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

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Local rates. Clear comparisons.

Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.

View every state and territory as a table
26492 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AKNo published base rate1
ALNo published base rate1
ARNo published base rate1
AZNo published base rate1
CANo published base rate29
CONo published base rate1
CTNo published base rate1
DCNo published base rate1
DENo published base rate1
FLNo published base rate3
GANo published base rate2
GUNo published base rate1
HINo published base rate1
IANo published base rate1
IDNo published base rate1
ILNo published base rate4
INNo published base rate1
KSNo published base rate1
KYNo published base rate1
LANo published base rate2
MANo published base rate2
MDNo published base rate3
MENo published base rate2
MINo published base rate2
MNNo published base rate1
MONo published base rate3
MSNo published base rate1
MTNo published base rate1
NCNo published base rate1
NDNo published base rate1
NENo published base rate1
NHNo published base rate1
NJNo published base rate2
NMNo published base rate1
NVNo published base rate1
NYNo published base rate5
OHNo published base rate1
OKNo published base rate1
ORNo published base rate2
PANo published base rate2
PRNo published base rate1
RINo published base rate1
SCNo published base rate1
SDNo published base rate1
TNNo published base rate1
TXNo published base rate8
UTNo published base rate1
VANo published base rate2
VINo published base rate1
VTNo published base rate1
WANo published base rate2
WINo published base rate1
WVNo published base rate1
WYNo published base rate1

See 26492 in every payment locality

How the 26492 rate is calculated

Each of 26492’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 · 26492

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work9.59

9.59 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense15.38

15.38 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice2.05

2.05 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

27.0200

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$902.49

Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

The exact Mississippi inputs and CMS source lines

PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv

2,615

Code
26492
Physician work
9.59
Practice expense
15.38
Malpractice
2.05

GPCI2026.csv

67

Locality
Mississippi
Physician work
1.000
Practice expense
0.861
Malpractice
0.739
Facility calculation for 26492 in Mississippi
ComponentRVULocality factorAdjusted
Physician work9.59× 1.0009.5900
Practice expense15.38× 0.86113.2422
Malpractice2.05× 0.7391.5149
Total RVUs24.3471
Conversion factor× 33.4009

Facility rate, Mississippi$813.22

Facility: (9.59 × 1 + 15.38 × 0.861 + 2.05 × 0.739) × $33.4009 = $813.22

Open 26492 in the RVU calculator

Payment rules and modifiers for 26492

26492 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 26492

Tendon transfer, thumb with free tendon graft

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period090Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included.
Multiple procedures2Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%.
Bilateral (modifier 50)0The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)2Paid.
Co-surgeons (62)1Permitted with supporting documentation.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.10/0.69/0.21Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 26492

Tendon transfer, thumb with free tendon 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.

  • 24Unrelated E/M visit by the same physician
  • 79Unrelated procedure (starts its own global period)
  • 58Staged, more extensive, or therapy procedure that was planned
  • 78Unplanned return to the operating room for a related complication
SurgeryVisit
Sep 23, 2026Jan 10, 2027

Pre-op dayGlobal period

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

26492 without 51 · national facility

$902.49

Tendon transfer, thumb with free tendon graft

26492-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$451.25

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%).

When to use modifier 51

How 26492 has changed in Mississippi

26492 · Office / nonfacility

Rate unavailable

Effective 2026-10-01

A rate is unavailable in one of these releases, so a change cannot be calculated.

Base rate by release · bars start at $0 · select a bar to compare

One bar per available release, ordered by effective date. Missing rates remain gaps. These comparisons hold the code, setting and locality identifiers constant; they do not isolate which policy or input caused a change.

What changed, release by release
Rates in every CMS release
Effective fromOfficeFacilityCMS release
2026-10-01Not available in this setting$813.22RVU26D
2026-07-01Not available in this setting$813.22RVU26C
2026-04-01Not available in this setting$813.22RVU26B
2026-01-01Not available in this setting$813.22RVU26A
2025-10-01Not available in this setting$816.86RVU25D
2025-07-01Not available in this setting$816.86RVU25C
2025-04-01Not available in this setting$816.86RVU25B
2025-01-01Not available in this setting$816.86RVU25A
2024-10-01Not available in this setting$842.01RVU24D
2024-07-01Not available in this setting$842.01RVU24C
2024-04-01Not available in this setting$842.01RVU24B
2024-03-09Not available in this setting$842.01RVU24AR
2024-01-01Not available in this setting$828.27RVU24A
2023-10-01Not available in this setting$851.29RVU23D
2023-07-01Not available in this setting$851.29RVU23C
2023-04-01Not available in this setting$851.29RVU23B
2023-01-01Not available in this setting$851.29RVU23A
2022-10-01Not available in this setting$859.53RVU22D
2022-07-01Not available in this setting$859.53RVU22C
2022-04-01Not available in this setting$859.53RVU22B
2022-01-01Not available in this setting$859.53RVU22A
2021-10-01Not available in this setting$851.80RVU21D
2021-07-01Not available in this setting$851.80RVU21C
2021-04-01Not available in this setting$851.80RVU21B
2021-01-01Not available in this setting$851.80RVU21A
2020-10-01Not available in this setting$825.83RVU20D
2020-07-01Not available in this setting$825.83RVU20C
2020-04-01Not available in this setting$825.83RVU20B
2020-01-01Not available in this setting$825.83RVU20A
2019-10-01Not available in this setting$794.94RVU19D
2019-07-01Not available in this setting$794.94RVU19C
2019-04-01Not available in this setting$794.41RVU19B
2019-01-01Not available in this setting$794.41RVU19A
2018-10-01Not available in this setting$795.86RVU18D
2018-07-01Not available in this setting$795.86RVU18C
2018-04-01Not available in this setting$795.86RVU18B
2018-01-01Not available in this setting$795.86RVU18AR1
2017-10-01Not available in this setting$797.67RVU17D
2017-07-01Not available in this setting$797.67RVU17C
2017-04-01Not available in this setting$797.67RVU17B
2017-01-01Not available in this setting$797.67RVU17A
2016-10-01Not available in this setting$794.14RVU16D
2016-07-01Not available in this setting$794.14RVU16C
2016-04-01Not available in this setting$794.14RVU16B
2016-01-01Not available in this setting$794.14RVU16A
2015-10-01Not available in this setting$807.22RVU15D
2015-07-01Not available in this setting$807.22RVU15C
2015-04-01Not available in this setting$803.21RVU15B
2015-01-01Not available in this setting$803.21RVU15A
2014-10-01Not available in this setting$799.61RVU14D
2014-07-01Not available in this setting$799.61RVU14C
2014-04-01Not available in this setting$799.61RVU14B
2014-01-01Not available in this setting$799.61RVU14A
2013-10-01Not available in this setting$806.97RVU13D
2013-07-01Not available in this setting$806.97RVU13C
2013-04-01Not available in this setting$806.97RVU13B
2013-01-01Not available in this setting$806.97RVU13AR

Price 26492 for an earlier date of service

Where the Mississippi rate applies

Mississippi is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 427 cities and communities in Mississippi. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.

  • Abbeville
  • Aberdeen
  • Ackerman
  • Agricola
  • Alcorn State University
  • Algoma
  • Alligator
  • Amory

Browse all communities in Mississippi

26492 billing questions

How does this differ from 26490?

This code is for a thumb tendon reconstruction that uses a free tendon graft. Code 26490 is the related thumb procedure without a free tendon graft.

How is it distinguished from graft procedures for other hand sites?

Choose this code when the reconstructed tendon is in the thumb. Codes 26483 and 26489 describe graft procedures at the dorsum or palm, while 26498 is for a finger.

Can modifier 50 be used for both thumbs?

No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code; modifier 50 should not be used.

What postoperative care is included in the global period?

The 90-day major-surgery global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.

How are other procedures in the same session paid?

The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction when performed in the same session.

May an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; team surgery is 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
RVUs for 26492PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,615 (RVU26D)
Geographic factors for MississippiGPCI2026.csv, line 67 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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