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

In Montana, Medicare pays $902.36 for 26492 in a facility. There’s no office rate.

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.

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 Montana 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. Montana pays $902.36. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.

Every other payment area

26492 rates by state

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

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.

Payment rules and modifiers for 26492

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

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 51

Codes related to 26492

Related codes aren’t interchangeable: bill the code that matches the service performed.

How 26492 has changed in Montana

Price 26492 for an earlier date of service

Where the Montana rate applies

Montana is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 497 cities and communities in Montana. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.

• Absarokee
• Acton
• Alberton
• Alder
• Alzada
• Amsterdam
• Anaconda-Deer Lodge County
• Antelope

Browse all communities in Montana

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

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates