CPT code 27442: Knee revision, knee joint2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $804.96 for 27442 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 27442 covers

This code represents an operative revision arthroplasty involving the knee joint. An orthopedic surgeon typically performs the procedure in a hospital or ambulatory surgery facility, addressing a joint that needs reconstructive surgical treatment. The operative report should make clear what was revised and the work performed; a ligament reconstruction, patellar realignment, or routine primary total knee replacement is a different service.

Report the code when the documented operation supports this knee-joint revision service, rather than selecting it from the diagnosis alone. CMS assigns a 90-day global period: the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included. 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. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeons require 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 27442 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

27442 rates by state

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

How the 27442 rate is calculated

Each of 27442’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 27442

27442 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

27442 compared with similar codes

How to choose

27443Knee revisionJoint revision

This related arthroplasty code includes debridement and partial synovectomy. Choose based on the operative service documented, not simply the diagnosis.

27446Partial knee replacementOne compartment

This code describes arthroplasty limited to the medial or lateral compartment. Use it when the operation meets that compartment-specific service rather than the revision service represented here.

27447Total knee replacementMedial and lateral compartments

This code is for primary replacement of both knee compartments. It is not interchangeable with a revision procedure.

27486Knee revisionOne prosthetic component

This code identifies revision total knee arthroplasty involving one component. Use it when the documented operation meets that component-specific revision service.

Codes related to 27442

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