CPT code 27279: SI joint fusion, transarticular device placement2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $758.53 for 27279 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 27279 covers

The surgeon accesses the sacroiliac joint through a percutaneous or minimally invasive approach and places one or more devices across the joint to promote fusion. Orthopedic and spine surgeons commonly perform this procedure in an operating room for patients with sacroiliac joint pain or dysfunction. Image guidance used to position the devices is part of the service described by this code.

Select this code when the operative method places devices transarticularly across the SI joint; document the approach, side, implant placement, and imaging used. For bilateral procedures, CMS applies modifier 50 and pays 150%. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to a 50% reduction. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. 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.

Where 27279 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

27279 rates by state

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

How the 27279 rate is calculated

Each of 27279’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 27279

27279 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 50

27279 compared with similar codes

How to choose

27278SI joint fusionIntra-articular implants

Choose 27279 for devices placed across the SI joint; 27278 describes intra-articular device placement.

27280SI joint fusionOpen, grafted, instrumented

27280 describes open SI joint arthrodesis. This code is for a percutaneous or minimally invasive device-based approach.

27299Unlisted pelvis/hip procedureCarrier priced

Use 27299 only when the performed pelvis or hip joint procedure is not represented by a specific code such as 27279.

Codes related to 27279

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