CPT code 28288: Toe bone removal, phalangeal head2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Illinois
Reports partial removal of a toe phalanx head, commonly to relieve a painful bony prominence or pressure associated with a toe deformity.
Medicare pays $589.27–$643.31 for 28288 in the office in Illinois, from Rest of Illinois to Chicago, IL. 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.
Your location
On this page 9 sections
What 28288 covers
A foot surgeon, commonly an orthopedic surgeon or podiatrist, removes part of a toe phalanx head to address a painful bony prominence and related pressure or irritation. The procedure may be performed in a surgical facility or office-based setting, depending on the case. The operative note should identify the toe and bone treated, the prominence or deformity prompting surgery, and the extent of bone removed.
Report 28288 for partial removal involving the head of a toe phalanx, rather than a different phalangeal site or a procedure directed at correcting the toe deformity itself. This major surgery has 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 are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this service; 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 28288 pays more and less in Illinois
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
4 payment localities
$589.27 to $643.31
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | $643.31 | $448.28 |
| East St. Louis, IL | $602.26 | $423.72 |
| Rest of Illinois | $589.27 | $412.09 |
| Suburban Chicago, IL | $640.05 | $440.75 |
How the 28288 rate is calculated
Each of 28288’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 · 28288
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work5.87
5.87 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense11.73
11.73 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.68
0.68 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
18.2800
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$610.57
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 28288
28288 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 28288
Toe bone removal, phalangeal head
| 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) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| 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 · 28288
Toe bone removal, phalangeal head
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 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
28288 without 51 · national office
$610.57
Toe bone removal, phalangeal head
28288-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$305.29
When this isn’t the highest-valued procedure in the session, Medicare pays 50% of its fee schedule amount (the highest is paid at 100%).
28288 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 28124Toe bone excisionPartial phalanx excision
- Choose 28288 for partial removal at a toe phalanx head; 28124 applies to partial excision of toe phalanx bone at another site.
- 28126Toe bone excisionComplete phalanx removal
- 28126 is for resection of a condyle at the distal end of a toe phalanx. 28288 concerns partial removal at a phalangeal head.
- 28285Hammertoe repairLesser-toe deformity correction
- 28285 describes hammertoe correction, while 28288 describes partial bone removal at a toe phalanx head. The operative work determines which code applies.
- 28110Metatarsal resectionPartial fifth-head excision
- 28110 addresses the fifth metatarsal head, not a toe phalanx head. Select by the bone and site treated.
28288 billing questions
How does 28288 differ from 28124?
28288 addresses partial removal at the head of a toe phalanx. 28124 is used for partial bone excision from a toe phalanx at a different site.
Is 28288 the code for hammertoe correction?
No. 28288 reports bone removal at a toe phalanx head; 28285 reports hammertoe correction. Use the code that matches the procedure actually performed and documented.
Does the 90-day global period include postoperative visits?
Yes. Related postoperative care for 90 days and the preoperative visit on the day before surgery are included in the global period.
Can modifier 50 be used when both feet are treated?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for 28288. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
How are other procedures in the same session paid?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures performed in the same session are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction.
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
Fee sheets
Put 28288 and the rest of your codes on one sheet
Your codes at your locality, with payer contracts beside Medicare.
Build my fee sheet