CPT code 28270: Foot contracture release, midfoot joint, each joint2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Maryland
Reports release of a contracted midfoot joint capsule, with or without tendon repair, when surgery addresses restricted motion at that joint.
Medicare pays $492.63–$554.63 for 28270 in the office in Maryland, from Rest of Maryland to Washington, DC area. Which amount applies depends on the service address.
Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.
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On this page 9 sections
What 28270 covers
The service releases a contracted capsule at a midfoot joint to improve motion or correct deformity. The surgeon may repair a tendon as part of the procedure. Podiatrists and orthopedic foot and ankle surgeons commonly perform it for a fixed joint contracture that requires operative correction, rather than a contracture treated by tendon release alone.
Report the code for each midfoot joint treated, and document the affected joint, side, contracture, and operative release; include any tendon repair performed. The 90-day 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 procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. For bilateral surgery, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code, and co-surgeons and team surgery are 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 28270 pays more and less in Maryland
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
3 payment localities
$492.63 to $554.63
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore area, MD | $517.91 | $334.77 |
| Rest of Maryland | $492.63 | $319.90 |
| Washington, DC area | $554.63 | $353.57 |
How the 28270 rate is calculated
Each of 28270’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 · 28270
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work4.81
4.81 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense9.32
9.32 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.50
0.50 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
14.6300
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$488.66
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 28270
28270 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 28270
Foot contracture release, midfoot joint, each joint
| 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) | 1 | Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 1 | Not paid (statutory restriction). |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| 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 · 28270
Foot contracture release, midfoot joint, each joint
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 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
28270 without 50 · national office
$488.66
Foot contracture release, midfoot joint, each joint
28270-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$732.99
Both sides on one line with modifier 50 are paid at 150% of the fee schedule amount (subject to multiple-procedure rules with other procedures).
28270 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 28272Toe joint releaseInterphalangeal joint, each
- 28270 addresses a midfoot joint capsule; 28272 addresses a toe joint capsule. Identify the actual joint released in the operative report.
- 28260Midfoot releaseMidfoot joint capsule
- 28260 describes midfoot capsulotomy with manipulation. Select based on the documented service, rather than coding a joint release solely because manipulation occurred.
- 28262Midfoot releaseExtensive release
- 28262 is the extensive midfoot capsulotomy option. Use 28270 when the documented release is not described as extensive.
- 28230Tendon incisionSingle extensor tendon
- 28230 is an open extensor tendon incision. It is not a substitute for 28270 when the operative target is the midfoot joint capsule.
28270 billing questions
When is 28270 used instead of 28272?
Use 28270 for a contracted midfoot joint capsule. Code 28272 is for a toe joint capsule.
How are multiple joints reported?
The code is defined for each joint. Document each midfoot joint released and follow applicable claim instructions for reporting multiple units.
Can tendon work be included?
A tendon repair may be performed with the capsular release. If the operative service is a tendon incision or release rather than a joint-capsule release, consider the tendon procedure code that matches the work.
What does the 90-day global period include?
It includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
How is bilateral surgery paid?
CMS identifies this as a bilateral procedure; modifier 50 is paid at 150%.
May an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
An assistant at surgery is not paid for this code. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
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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