CPT code 27889: Ankle amputation, through the ankle joint2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $597.54 for 27889 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 27889 covers

This service removes the foot by disarticulating it at the ankle, leaving the lower leg in place. It may be performed for a foot rendered nonviable by severe infection, poor circulation, or traumatic injury when the ankle level is selected. An orthopedic or vascular surgeon typically performs the operation in a hospital operating room; the operative report should identify the level and describe the disarticulation and management of the residual tissues.

Report the code when the procedure is an ankle disarticulation, rather than a more proximal amputation through the tibia and fibula. The operative note should establish the anatomic level and support why that level was chosen. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted; 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 27889 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

27889 rates by state

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

How the 27889 rate is calculated

Each of 27889’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 27889

27889 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

27889 compared with similar codes

How to choose

27888Foot amputationAt ankle level

Both concern amputation at the ankle region, so use the operative description to determine whether the service is ankle disarticulation or the foot-amputation procedure represented by 27888.

27880Leg amputationThrough tibia and fibula

27880 is for an amputation through the tibia and fibula, above the ankle; 27889 is the ankle-level disarticulation.

27884Stump revisionThrough tibia and fibula

27884 describes revision of a below-knee amputation, not the initial ankle disarticulation reported with 27889.

Codes related to 27889

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