CPT code 26545: Finger joint reconstruction, ligament reconstruction with graft2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $707.43 for 26545 nationally in a facility.

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

What 26545 covers

The surgeon reconstructs a stabilizing ligament at a finger joint using graft tissue when the existing ligament is deficient or unsuitable for a straightforward repair. This may be considered for persistent instability after an injury, including cases in which damaged ligament tissue cannot hold a direct repair. A hand or orthopedic surgeon typically performs the procedure in an operating room, with the operative report identifying the joint, the ligament addressed, and the graft used or obtained.

Report this service when the operative work supports ligament reconstruction with graft, rather than direct ligament repair or a joint replacement or fusion. Documentation should describe the instability or ligament deficiency, the reconstruction performed, and the graft. CMS classifies the procedure as major surgery with 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 others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity; 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 26545 pays more and less

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

109 of 109 payment localities

26545 rates by state

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

How the 26545 rate is calculated

Each of 26545’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 26545

26545 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

26545 compared with similar codes

How to choose

26540Ligament repairMCP or IP joint

26540 describes direct collateral ligament repair. Report 26545 when the surgeon reconstructs the ligament using graft tissue.

26541Ligament repairWith tendon graft

26541 is a ligament repair involving a tendon graft; distinguish it from the reconstruction performed for this code by the operative technique documented.

26530Knuckle arthroplastyMetacarpophalangeal joint, no implant

26530 is arthroplasty of a metacarpophalangeal joint. It addresses the joint with an arthroplasty procedure, not ligament reconstruction.

Codes related to 26545

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

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