CPT code 26844: Hand joint fusion, nonthumb CMC with autograft2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Montana
Reports fusion of a carpometacarpal joint other than the thumb using the patient’s own bone graft to treat a painful or unstable joint.
In Montana, Medicare pays $840.58 for 26844 in a facility. There’s no office rate.
Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 26844 nationwide
Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.
On this page 11 sections
What 26844 covers
This service fuses a carpometacarpal joint in the hand other than the thumb, using bone graft taken from the patient. It may be performed by a hand or orthopedic surgeon for a painful, unstable, or damaged joint, including after trauma or with arthritic change. The operative work addresses the selected joint between a carpal bone and its metacarpal; it is not a fusion of a finger joint or the thumb’s carpometacarpal joint.
Report this code when the operative record supports fusion of a nonthumb carpometacarpal joint and use of autogenous bone graft. Document the specific joint, the indication, the fusion work, and the graft source; graft procurement is included in this service. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; 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 26844
Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the facility rate for 26844 runs from $742.05 in Arkansas to $1,058.86 in San Benito County, CA. Montana pays $840.58. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.
- Montana · this page$840.58
- Los Angeles, CA · California$920.76+$80.18
- Washington, DC area · District of Columbia$950.03+$109.45
- Miami, FL · Florida$955.62+$115.04
- Chicago, IL · Illinois$925.63+$85.05
- Manhattan, NY · New York$974.56+$133.98
- Alaska · Alaska$990.69+$150.11
Other areas in Montana first, then benchmark localities. Bars start at $0.
Every other payment area
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| AlabamaAlabama | — | $752.99 |
| ArkansasArkansas | — | $742.05 |
| ArizonaArizona | — | $816.69 |
| Bakersfield, CACalifornia | — | $868.62 |
| Chico, CACalifornia | — | $863.50 |
| El Centro, CACalifornia | — | $863.81 |
| Fresno, CACalifornia | — | $863.50 |
| Hanford, CACalifornia | — | $863.50 |
| Madera, CACalifornia | — | $863.50 |
| Merced, CACalifornia | — | $863.50 |
| Modesto, CACalifornia | — | $863.50 |
| Napa, CACalifornia | — | $983.11 |
| Oxnard, CACalifornia | — | $913.92 |
| Redding, CACalifornia | — | $863.50 |
| Rest of CaliforniaCalifornia | — | $863.50 |
| Riverside, CACalifornia | — | $883.49 |
| Sacramento, CACalifornia | — | $901.62 |
| Salinas, CACalifornia | — | $898.22 |
| San Diego, CACalifornia | — | $916.28 |
| Marin County, CACalifornia | — | $1,034.14 |
| San Francisco, CACalifornia | — | $1,032.03 |
| San Benito County, CACalifornia | — | $1,058.86 |
| Santa Clara County, CACalifornia | — | $1,050.23 |
| San Luis Obispo, CACalifornia | — | $884.40 |
| Santa Cruz, CACalifornia | — | $922.51 |
| Santa Maria, CACalifornia | — | $900.74 |
| Santa Rosa, CACalifornia | — | $931.46 |
| Stockton, CACalifornia | — | $863.50 |
| Vallejo, CACalifornia | — | $980.07 |
| Visalia, CACalifornia | — | $863.50 |
| Yuba City, CACalifornia | — | $863.50 |
| ColoradoColorado | — | $861.71 |
| ConnecticutConnecticut | — | $897.02 |
| DelawareDelaware | — | $830.06 |
| Fort Lauderdale, FLFlorida | — | $897.22 |
| Rest of FloridaFlorida | — | $850.57 |
| Atlanta, GAGeorgia | — | $861.84 |
| Rest of GeorgiaGeorgia | — | $800.14 |
| Hawaii, Guam, HIHawaii | — | $881.13 |
| IowaIowa | — | $761.93 |
| IdahoIdaho | — | $769.08 |
| East St. Louis, ILIllinois | — | $864.82 |
| Rest of IllinoisIllinois | — | $833.40 |
| Suburban Chicago, ILIllinois | — | $903.83 |
| IndianaIndiana | — | $773.29 |
| KansasKansas | — | $763.23 |
| KentuckyKentucky | — | $781.48 |
| New Orleans, LALouisiana | — | $820.48 |
| Rest of LouisianaLouisiana | — | $782.20 |
| Metropolitan Boston, MAMassachusetts | — | $940.14 |
| Rest of MassachusettsMassachusetts | — | $858.53 |
| Baltimore area, MDMaryland | — | $895.58 |
| Rest of MarylandMaryland | — | $844.36 |
| Rest of MaineMaine | — | $778.34 |
| Southern Maine, MEMaine | — | $813.40 |
| Detroit, MIMichigan | — | $866.31 |
| Rest of MichiganMichigan | — | $806.43 |
| MinnesotaMinnesota | — | $811.06 |
| Metropolitan Kansas City, MOMissouri | — | $809.63 |
| Metropolitan St. Louis, MOMissouri | — | $817.50 |
| Rest of MissouriMissouri | — | $772.02 |
| MississippiMississippi | — | $756.93 |
| North CarolinaNorth Carolina | — | $785.71 |
| North DakotaNorth Dakota | — | $803.80 |
| NebraskaNebraska | — | $764.64 |
| New HampshireNew Hampshire | — | $852.86 |
| Northern New JerseyNew Jersey | — | $941.12 |
| Rest of New JerseyNew Jersey | — | $903.14 |
| New MexicoNew Mexico | — | $812.85 |
| NevadaNevada | — | $830.81 |
| NYC suburbs and Long Island, NYNew York | — | $1,004.52 |
| Poughkeepsie and northern NYC suburbs, NYNew York | — | $913.08 |
| Queens, NYNew York | — | $975.34 |
| Rest of New YorkNew York | — | $797.95 |
| OhioOhio | — | $798.92 |
| OklahomaOklahoma | — | $774.85 |
| Portland, OROregon | — | $883.42 |
| Rest of OregonOregon | — | $820.31 |
| Metropolitan Philadelphia, PAPennsylvania | — | $877.88 |
| Rest of PennsylvaniaPennsylvania | — | $797.43 |
| Puerto RicoPuerto Rico | — | $845.11 |
| Rhode IslandRhode Island | — | $855.59 |
| South CarolinaSouth Carolina | — | $794.45 |
| South DakotaSouth Dakota | — | $799.45 |
| TennesseeTennessee | — | $767.71 |
| Austin, TXTexas | — | $862.39 |
| Beaumont, TXTexas | — | $792.55 |
| Brazoria, TXTexas | — | $825.00 |
| Dallas, TXTexas | — | $832.57 |
| Fort Worth, TXTexas | — | $828.52 |
| Galveston, TXTexas | — | $828.95 |
| Houston, TXTexas | — | $863.00 |
| Rest of TexasTexas | — | $809.89 |
| UtahUtah | — | $805.20 |
| VirginiaVirginia | — | $814.17 |
| Virgin Islands, VIUnited States Virgin Islands | — | $845.11 |
| VermontVermont | — | $805.15 |
| Rest of WashingtonWashington | — | $855.41 |
| King County, WAWashington | — | $954.28 |
| WisconsinWisconsin | — | $777.30 |
| West VirginiaWest Virginia | — | $803.81 |
| WyomingWyoming | — | $824.55 |
26844 rates by state
Office rate range in each state. Select a state to see its payment localities.
Explore a state
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
| State / territory | Office rate range | Localities |
|---|---|---|
| AK | No published base rate | 1 |
| AL | No published base rate | 1 |
| AR | No published base rate | 1 |
| AZ | No published base rate | 1 |
| CA | No published base rate | 29 |
| CO | No published base rate | 1 |
| CT | No published base rate | 1 |
| DC | No published base rate | 1 |
| DE | No published base rate | 1 |
| FL | No published base rate | 3 |
| GA | No published base rate | 2 |
| GU | No published base rate | 1 |
| HI | No published base rate | 1 |
| IA | No published base rate | 1 |
| ID | No published base rate | 1 |
| IL | No published base rate | 4 |
| IN | No published base rate | 1 |
| KS | No published base rate | 1 |
| KY | No published base rate | 1 |
| LA | No published base rate | 2 |
| MA | No published base rate | 2 |
| MD | No published base rate | 3 |
| ME | No published base rate | 2 |
| MI | No published base rate | 2 |
| MN | No published base rate | 1 |
| MO | No published base rate | 3 |
| MS | No published base rate | 1 |
| MT | No published base rate | 1 |
| NC | No published base rate | 1 |
| ND | No published base rate | 1 |
| NE | No published base rate | 1 |
| NH | No published base rate | 1 |
| NJ | No published base rate | 2 |
| NM | No published base rate | 1 |
| NV | No published base rate | 1 |
| NY | No published base rate | 5 |
| OH | No published base rate | 1 |
| OK | No published base rate | 1 |
| OR | No published base rate | 2 |
| PA | No published base rate | 2 |
| PR | No published base rate | 1 |
| RI | No published base rate | 1 |
| SC | No published base rate | 1 |
| SD | No published base rate | 1 |
| TN | No published base rate | 1 |
| TX | No published base rate | 8 |
| UT | No published base rate | 1 |
| VA | No published base rate | 2 |
| VI | No published base rate | 1 |
| VT | No published base rate | 1 |
| WA | No published base rate | 2 |
| WI | No published base rate | 1 |
| WV | No published base rate | 1 |
| WY | No published base rate | 1 |
How the 26844 rate is calculated
Each of 26844’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 · 26844
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work8.76
8.76 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense14.55
14.55 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.86
1.86 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
25.1700
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$840.70
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
The exact Montana inputs and CMS source lines
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
2,695
- Code
- 26844
- Physician work
- 8.76
- Practice expense
- 14.55
- Malpractice
- 1.86
GPCI2026.csv
71
- Locality
- Montana
- Physician work
- 1.000
- Practice expense
- 1.000
- Malpractice
- 0.998
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 8.76 | × 1.000 | 8.7600 |
| Practice expense | 14.55 | × 1.000 | 14.5500 |
| Malpractice | 1.86 | × 0.998 | 1.8563 |
| Total RVUs | 25.1663 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Facility rate, Montana$840.58
Facility: (8.76 × 1 + 14.55 × 1 + 1.86 × 0.998) × $33.4009 = $840.58
Payment rules and modifiers for 26844
26844 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 26844
Hand joint fusion, nonthumb CMC with autograft
| 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) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| 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 · 26844
Hand joint fusion, nonthumb CMC with autograft
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
26844 without 51 · national facility
$840.70
Hand joint fusion, nonthumb CMC with autograft
26844-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$420.35
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%).
How 26844 has changed in Montana
26844 · Office / nonfacility
Rate unavailable
Effective 2026-10-01
A rate is unavailable in one of these releases, so a change cannot be calculated.
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
| Effective from | Office | Facility | CMS release |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $840.58 | RVU26D |
| 2026-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $840.58 | RVU26C |
| 2026-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $840.58 | RVU26B |
| 2026-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $840.58 | RVU26A |
| 2025-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $842.93 | RVU25D |
| 2025-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $842.93 | RVU25C |
| 2025-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $842.93 | RVU25B |
| 2025-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $842.93 | RVU25A |
| 2024-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $869.12 | RVU24D |
| 2024-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $869.12 | RVU24C |
| 2024-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $869.12 | RVU24B |
| 2024-03-09 | Not available in this setting | $869.12 | RVU24AR |
| 2024-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $854.94 | RVU24A |
| 2023-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $885.15 | RVU23D |
| 2023-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $885.15 | RVU23C |
| 2023-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $885.15 | RVU23B |
| 2023-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $885.15 | RVU23A |
| 2022-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $900.72 | RVU22D |
| 2022-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $900.72 | RVU22C |
| 2022-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $900.72 | RVU22B |
| 2022-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $900.72 | RVU22A |
| 2021-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $891.83 | RVU21D |
| 2021-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $891.83 | RVU21C |
| 2021-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $891.83 | RVU21B |
| 2021-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $891.83 | RVU21A |
| 2020-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $884.24 | RVU20D |
| 2020-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $884.24 | RVU20C |
| 2020-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $884.24 | RVU20B |
| 2020-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $884.24 | RVU20A |
| 2019-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $877.59 | RVU19D |
| 2019-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $877.59 | RVU19C |
| 2019-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $874.65 | RVU19B |
| 2019-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $874.65 | RVU19A |
| 2018-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $879.05 | RVU18D |
| 2018-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $879.05 | RVU18C |
| 2018-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $879.05 | RVU18B |
| 2018-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $879.05 | RVU18AR1 |
| 2017-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $860.59 | RVU17D |
| 2017-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $860.59 | RVU17C |
| 2017-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $860.59 | RVU17B |
| 2017-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $860.59 | RVU17A |
| 2016-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $830.70 | RVU16D |
| 2016-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $830.70 | RVU16C |
| 2016-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $830.70 | RVU16B |
| 2016-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $830.70 | RVU16A |
| 2015-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $828.33 | RVU15D |
| 2015-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $828.33 | RVU15C |
| 2015-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $824.21 | RVU15B |
| 2015-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $824.21 | RVU15A |
| 2014-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $828.60 | RVU14D |
| 2014-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $828.60 | RVU14C |
| 2014-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $828.60 | RVU14B |
| 2014-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $828.60 | RVU14A |
| 2013-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $824.83 | RVU13D |
| 2013-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $824.83 | RVU13C |
| 2013-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $824.83 | RVU13B |
| 2013-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $824.83 | RVU13AR |
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
26844 billing questions
How is this different from 26843?
Both address a carpometacarpal joint other than the thumb. Use 26844 when autogenous bone graft is used; 26843 is the corresponding fusion code without graft.
Can the bone graft harvest be billed separately?
The graft procurement is included in 26844. Document the graft source and its use in the fusion.
Can modifier 50 be used for two-sided hand surgery?
No. CMS identifies modifier 50 as inappropriate for this code’s descriptor or anatomy.
What postoperative care is included?
The code has a 90-day global period that 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.
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
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