CPT code 27882: Lower-leg amputation, open circular technique2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $552.45 for 27882 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 27882 covers

This code describes a guillotine-style amputation through the tibia and fibula, with the surgical site left open rather than closed with definitive flaps. Surgeons may use this staged approach when severe infection, gangrene, or other tissue damage makes immediate closure unsuitable. The procedure is typically performed in an operating room by an orthopedic, vascular, or general surgeon.

Report the code when the operative documentation supports an open circular technique at the lower-leg level; distinguish it from a closed below-knee amputation and one performed with immediate fitting and a rigid dressing. The major-surgery global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued is paid in full and other procedures are reduced to 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery and co-surgeon payment require their respective supporting documentation; 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 27882 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

27882 rates by state

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

How the 27882 rate is calculated

Each of 27882’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 27882

27882 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

27882 compared with similar codes

How to choose

27880Leg amputationThrough tibia and fibula

Choose 27882 for the open circular guillotine technique. Code 27880 describes a lower-leg amputation without that specific technique.

27881Below-knee amputationImmediate prosthetic fitting

Code 27881 includes immediate fitting and a rigid dressing. This code describes an open circular amputation instead.

27888Foot amputationAt ankle level

Code 27888 describes an amputation at the foot or ankle level; 27882 is for amputation through the tibia and fibula.

27889Ankle amputationThrough the ankle joint

Code 27889 is for ankle disarticulation. Use 27882 when the documented amputation passes through the tibia and fibula.

Codes related to 27882

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