CPT code 26862: Finger fusion, interphalangeal joint with graft2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in North Carolina
Reports fusion of a finger interphalangeal joint using the patient's bone graft, typically for painful arthritis, deformity, or instability.
In North Carolina, Medicare pays $690.92 for 26862 in a facility. There’s no office rate.
Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 26862 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 26862 covers
A hand surgeon prepares a finger interphalangeal joint for fusion and uses the patient's bone graft to support bone union. This procedure may be chosen for a painful, damaged proximal or distal interphalangeal joint, including cases involving arthritis, deformity, or instability. The graft is autogenous, and obtaining it is included in this service. Fixation may be used to maintain alignment while the joint heals.
Report this code for the grafted fusion of the primary interphalangeal joint. For another interphalangeal joint fused with autogenous graft during the same operative session, 26863 is the add-on code; 26860 describes fusion without the autograft distinction. The operative report should identify each joint treated, the graft used and its harvest, and the clinical reason for fusion. The service has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made; 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 North Carolina compares for 26862
Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the facility rate for 26862 runs from $652.24 in Arkansas to $939.67 in San Benito County, CA. North Carolina pays $690.92. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.
- North Carolina · this page$690.92
- Los Angeles, CA · California$813.40+$122.48
- Washington, DC area · District of Columbia$835.22+$144.30
- Miami, FL · Florida$826.72+$135.80
- Chicago, IL · Illinois$801.56+$110.64
- Manhattan, NY · New York$852.53+$161.61
- Alaska · Alaska$868.65+$177.73
Other areas in North Carolina first, then benchmark localities. Bars start at $0.
Every other payment area
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| AlabamaAlabama | — | $661.73 |
| ArkansasArkansas | — | $652.24 |
| ArizonaArizona | — | $717.01 |
| Bakersfield, CACalifornia | — | $766.73 |
| Chico, CACalifornia | — | $762.84 |
| El Centro, CACalifornia | — | $763.08 |
| Fresno, CACalifornia | — | $762.84 |
| Hanford, CACalifornia | — | $762.84 |
| Madera, CACalifornia | — | $762.84 |
| Merced, CACalifornia | — | $762.84 |
| Modesto, CACalifornia | — | $762.84 |
| Napa, CACalifornia | — | $871.64 |
| Oxnard, CACalifornia | — | $807.85 |
| Redding, CACalifornia | — | $762.84 |
| Rest of CaliforniaCalifornia | — | $762.84 |
| Riverside, CACalifornia | — | $777.81 |
| Sacramento, CACalifornia | — | $797.33 |
| Salinas, CACalifornia | — | $794.32 |
| San Diego, CACalifornia | — | $810.81 |
| Marin County, CACalifornia | — | $918.17 |
| San Francisco, CACalifornia | — | $916.59 |
| San Benito County, CACalifornia | — | $939.67 |
| Santa Clara County, CACalifornia | — | $933.22 |
| San Luis Obispo, CACalifornia | — | $781.98 |
| Santa Cruz, CACalifornia | — | $816.77 |
| Santa Maria, CACalifornia | — | $796.70 |
| Santa Rosa, CACalifornia | — | $824.77 |
| Stockton, CACalifornia | — | $762.84 |
| Vallejo, CACalifornia | — | $869.36 |
| Visalia, CACalifornia | — | $762.84 |
| Yuba City, CACalifornia | — | $762.84 |
| ColoradoColorado | — | $758.75 |
| ConnecticutConnecticut | — | $786.42 |
| DelawareDelaware | — | $728.69 |
| Fort Lauderdale, FLFlorida | — | $780.79 |
| Rest of FloridaFlorida | — | $741.27 |
| Atlanta, GAGeorgia | — | $754.68 |
| Rest of GeorgiaGeorgia | — | $698.36 |
| Hawaii, Guam, HIHawaii | — | $778.90 |
| IowaIowa | — | $671.68 |
| IdahoIdaho | — | $677.43 |
| East St. Louis, ILIllinois | — | $748.98 |
| Rest of IllinoisIllinois | — | $724.92 |
| Suburban Chicago, ILIllinois | — | $787.07 |
| IndianaIndiana | — | $681.15 |
| KansasKansas | — | $671.75 |
| KentuckyKentucky | — | $684.16 |
| New Orleans, LALouisiana | — | $717.56 |
| Rest of LouisianaLouisiana | — | $684.38 |
| Metropolitan Boston, MAMassachusetts | — | $828.79 |
| Rest of MassachusettsMassachusetts | — | $755.59 |
| Baltimore area, MDMaryland | — | $784.91 |
| Rest of MarylandMaryland | — | $741.49 |
| Rest of MaineMaine | — | $684.35 |
| Southern Maine, MEMaine | — | $716.36 |
| Detroit, MIMichigan | — | $753.77 |
| Rest of MichiganMichigan | — | $704.77 |
| MinnesotaMinnesota | — | $717.71 |
| Metropolitan Kansas City, MOMissouri | — | $709.29 |
| Metropolitan St. Louis, MOMissouri | — | $716.23 |
| Rest of MissouriMissouri | — | $674.89 |
| MississippiMississippi | — | $663.53 |
| MontanaMontana | — | $737.40 |
| North DakotaNorth Dakota | — | $709.91 |
| NebraskaNebraska | — | $674.36 |
| New HampshireNew Hampshire | — | $749.93 |
| Northern New JerseyNew Jersey | — | $827.34 |
| Rest of New JerseyNew Jersey | — | $792.77 |
| New MexicoNew Mexico | — | $709.90 |
| NevadaNevada | — | $730.18 |
| NYC suburbs and Long Island, NYNew York | — | $877.12 |
| Poughkeepsie and northern NYC suburbs, NYNew York | — | $800.58 |
| Queens, NYNew York | — | $854.74 |
| Rest of New YorkNew York | — | $701.46 |
| OhioOhio | — | $699.16 |
| OklahomaOklahoma | — | $679.53 |
| Portland, OROregon | — | $778.93 |
| Rest of OregonOregon | — | $721.92 |
| Metropolitan Philadelphia, PAPennsylvania | — | $769.12 |
| Rest of PennsylvaniaPennsylvania | — | $698.46 |
| Puerto RicoPuerto Rico | — | $741.69 |
| Rhode IslandRhode Island | — | $751.84 |
| South CarolinaSouth Carolina | — | $696.72 |
| South DakotaSouth Dakota | — | $706.66 |
| TennesseeTennessee | — | $675.51 |
| Austin, TXTexas | — | $758.50 |
| Beaumont, TXTexas | — | $694.15 |
| Brazoria, TXTexas | — | $725.24 |
| Dallas, TXTexas | — | $731.34 |
| Fort Worth, TXTexas | — | $727.49 |
| Galveston, TXTexas | — | $728.36 |
| Houston, TXTexas | — | $753.80 |
| Rest of TexasTexas | — | $710.30 |
| UtahUtah | — | $706.06 |
| VirginiaVirginia | — | $716.28 |
| Virgin Islands, VIUnited States Virgin Islands | — | $741.69 |
| VermontVermont | — | $710.11 |
| Rest of WashingtonWashington | — | $753.18 |
| King County, WAWashington | — | $842.30 |
| WisconsinWisconsin | — | $686.68 |
| West VirginiaWest Virginia | — | $699.22 |
| WyomingWyoming | — | $725.42 |
26862 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 26862 rate is calculated
Each of 26862’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 · 26862
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work7.37
7.37 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense13.32
13.32 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.39
1.39 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
22.0800
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$737.49
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
The exact North Carolina inputs and CMS source lines
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
2,700
- Code
- 26862
- Physician work
- 7.37
- Practice expense
- 13.32
- Malpractice
- 1.39
GPCI2026.csv
83
- Locality
- North Carolina
- Physician work
- 1.000
- Practice expense
- 0.933
- Malpractice
- 0.639
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 7.37 | × 1.000 | 7.3700 |
| Practice expense | 13.32 | × 0.933 | 12.4276 |
| Malpractice | 1.39 | × 0.639 | 0.8882 |
| Total RVUs | 20.6858 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Facility rate, North Carolina$690.92
Facility: (7.37 × 1 + 13.32 × 0.933 + 1.39 × 0.639) × $33.4009 = $690.92
Payment rules and modifiers for 26862
26862 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 26862
Finger fusion, interphalangeal joint with graft
| 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 · 26862
Finger fusion, interphalangeal joint with 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.
Pre-op dayGlobal period
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
26862 without 51 · national facility
$737.49
Finger fusion, interphalangeal joint with graft
26862-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$368.75
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 26862 has changed in North Carolina
26862 · 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 | $690.92 | RVU26D |
| 2026-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $690.92 | RVU26C |
| 2026-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $690.92 | RVU26B |
| 2026-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $690.92 | RVU26A |
| 2025-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $702.90 | RVU25D |
| 2025-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $702.90 | RVU25C |
| 2025-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $702.90 | RVU25B |
| 2025-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $702.90 | RVU25A |
| 2024-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $725.33 | RVU24D |
| 2024-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $725.33 | RVU24C |
| 2024-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $725.33 | RVU24B |
| 2024-03-09 | Not available in this setting | $725.33 | RVU24AR |
| 2024-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $713.49 | RVU24A |
| 2023-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $742.05 | RVU23D |
| 2023-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $742.05 | RVU23C |
| 2023-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $742.05 | RVU23B |
| 2023-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $742.05 | RVU23A |
| 2022-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $758.37 | RVU22D |
| 2022-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $758.37 | RVU22C |
| 2022-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $758.37 | RVU22B |
| 2022-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $758.37 | RVU22A |
| 2021-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $750.56 | RVU21D |
| 2021-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $750.56 | RVU21C |
| 2021-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $750.56 | RVU21B |
| 2021-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $750.56 | RVU21A |
| 2020-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $722.06 | RVU20D |
| 2020-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $722.06 | RVU20C |
| 2020-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $722.06 | RVU20B |
| 2020-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $722.06 | RVU20A |
| 2019-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $694.39 | RVU19D |
| 2019-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $694.39 | RVU19C |
| 2019-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $694.39 | RVU19B |
| 2019-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $694.39 | RVU19A |
| 2018-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $697.57 | RVU18D |
| 2018-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $697.57 | RVU18C |
| 2018-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $697.57 | RVU18B |
| 2018-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $697.57 | RVU18AR1 |
| 2017-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $693.51 | RVU17D |
| 2017-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $693.51 | RVU17C |
| 2017-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $693.51 | RVU17B |
| 2017-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $693.51 | RVU17A |
| 2016-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $691.67 | RVU16D |
| 2016-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $691.67 | RVU16C |
| 2016-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $691.67 | RVU16B |
| 2016-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $691.67 | RVU16A |
| 2015-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $693.61 | RVU15D |
| 2015-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $693.61 | RVU15C |
| 2015-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $690.16 | RVU15B |
| 2015-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $690.16 | RVU15A |
| 2014-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $681.65 | RVU14D |
| 2014-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $681.65 | RVU14C |
| 2014-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $681.65 | RVU14B |
| 2014-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $681.65 | RVU14A |
| 2013-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $682.75 | RVU13D |
| 2013-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $682.75 | RVU13C |
| 2013-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $682.75 | RVU13B |
| 2013-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $682.75 | RVU13AR |
Where the North Carolina rate applies
North Carolina is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 785 cities and communities in North Carolina. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.
- Aberdeen
- Advance
- Ahoskie
- Alamance
- Albemarle
- Alexis
- Alliance
- Altamahaw
26862 billing questions
When should 26862 be selected instead of 26860?
Use 26862 for interphalangeal fusion with the patient's bone graft. Code 26860 describes interphalangeal fusion without that graft distinction.
How is another grafted finger joint reported?
Report 26863 for each additional interphalangeal joint fused with autogenous bone graft, in addition to the primary procedure.
Is graft harvest separately reported?
Obtaining the autogenous graft is included in 26862. Document the graft and its harvest in the operative report.
What documentation supports this code?
Document the interphalangeal joint fused, the indication, use of autogenous bone graft, and the graft harvest. Identify each additional joint treated.
Can modifier 50 be used for both hands?
No. The CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply to this code, and modifier 50 is inappropriate.
What global and multiple-procedure rules apply?
The code has a 90-day global period that includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care. In a same-session multiple-procedure claim, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%.
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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