CPT code 29819: Shoulder arthroscopy, loose or foreign body removal2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Connecticut

Reports arthroscopic removal of a loose fragment or foreign material from the shoulder joint, rather than diagnostic inspection or debridement alone.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026One payment locality784 Medicare services in 2024

In Connecticut, Medicare pays $584.67 for 29819 in a facility. There’s no office rate.

Not available in this settingOffice (non-facility)
$584.67Hospital or facility

Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 29819 nationwide

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

We’ll open 29819 for the payment locality that covers the ZIP.

On this page 11 sections
  1. Rate in Connecticut
  2. What 29819 covers
  3. Compared with other areas
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Related codes
  8. Rate history
  9. Where it applies
  10. Billing questions
  11. Sources

What 29819 covers

An orthopedic surgeon uses an arthroscope and instruments through small portals to find and remove a loose fragment or foreign material from inside the shoulder joint. A loose osteochondral fragment after injury is a typical reason for the procedure. It is generally performed in a hospital outpatient department or ambulatory surgery center; the operative report should identify the material or fragment and document its removal.

Select this service when arthroscopic removal is performed, not for inspection alone or debridement without removal. The record should support the intra-articular finding and the work performed. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When related endoscopies are performed together, endoscopy-family pricing applies. For bilateral surgery, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery; 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.

How Connecticut compares for 29819

Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the facility rate for 29819 runs from $491.10 in Arkansas to $670.54 in Alaska. Connecticut pays $584.67. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.

29819 in Connecticut vs other payment areas
  1. Connecticut · this page$584.67
  2. Los Angeles, CA · California$588.73+$4.06
  3. Washington, DC area · District of Columbia$613.30+$28.63
  4. Miami, FL · Florida$636.81+$52.14
  5. Chicago, IL · Illinois$618.00+$33.33
  6. Manhattan, NY · New York$635.60+$50.93
  7. Alaska · Alaska$670.54+$85.87

Other areas in Connecticut first, then benchmark localities. Bars start at $0.

Every other payment area

29819 in every other Medicare payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaAlabama—$497.60
ArkansasArkansas—$491.10
ArizonaArizona—$535.27
Bakersfield, CACalifornia—$558.98
Chico, CACalifornia—$554.81
El Centro, CACalifornia—$555.06
Fresno, CACalifornia—$554.81
Hanford, CACalifornia—$554.81

29819 rates by state

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

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Local rates. Clear comparisons.

Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.

View every state and territory as a table
29819 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AKNo published base rate1
ALNo published base rate1
ARNo published base rate1
AZNo published base rate1
CANo published base rate29
CONo published base rate1
CTNo published base rate1
DCNo published base rate1
DENo published base rate1
FLNo published base rate3
GANo published base rate2
GUNo published base rate1
HINo published base rate1
IANo published base rate1
IDNo published base rate1
ILNo published base rate4
INNo published base rate1
KSNo published base rate1
KYNo published base rate1
LANo published base rate2
MANo published base rate2
MDNo published base rate3
MENo published base rate2
MINo published base rate2
MNNo published base rate1
MONo published base rate3
MSNo published base rate1
MTNo published base rate1
NCNo published base rate1
NDNo published base rate1
NENo published base rate1
NHNo published base rate1
NJNo published base rate2
NMNo published base rate1
NVNo published base rate1
NYNo published base rate5
OHNo published base rate1
OKNo published base rate1
ORNo published base rate2
PANo published base rate2
PRNo published base rate1
RINo published base rate1
SCNo published base rate1
SDNo published base rate1
TNNo published base rate1
TXNo published base rate8
UTNo published base rate1
VANo published base rate2
VINo published base rate1
VTNo published base rate1
WANo published base rate2
WINo published base rate1
WVNo published base rate1
WYNo published base rate1

See 29819 in every payment locality

How the 29819 rate is calculated

Each of 29819’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 · 29819

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work7.60

7.60 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense7.37

7.37 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice1.50

1.50 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

16.4700

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$550.11

Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

The exact Connecticut inputs and CMS source lines

PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv

3,319

Code
29819
Physician work
7.60
Practice expense
7.37
Malpractice
1.50

GPCI2026.csv

38

Locality
Connecticut
Physician work
1.020
Practice expense
1.077
Malpractice
1.210
Facility calculation for 29819 in Connecticut
ComponentRVULocality factorAdjusted
Physician work7.60× 1.0207.7520
Practice expense7.37× 1.0777.9375
Malpractice1.50× 1.2101.8150
Total RVUs17.5045
Conversion factor× 33.4009

Facility rate, Connecticut$584.67

Facility: (7.6 × 1.02 + 7.37 × 1.077 + 1.5 × 1.21) × $33.4009 = $584.67

Open 29819 in the RVU calculator

Payment rules and modifiers for 29819

29819 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 29819

Shoulder arthroscopy, loose or foreign body removal

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period090Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included.
Multiple procedures3Endoscopy family rules apply.
Bilateral (modifier 50)1Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)1Not paid (statutory restriction).
Co-surgeons (62)1Permitted with supporting documentation.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.10/0.69/0.21Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 29819

Shoulder arthroscopy, loose or foreign body removal

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.

  • 24Unrelated E/M visit by the same physician
  • 79Unrelated procedure (starts its own global period)
  • 58Staged, more extensive, or therapy procedure that was planned
  • 78Unplanned return to the operating room for a related complication
SurgeryVisit
Sep 23, 2026Jan 10, 2027

Pre-op dayGlobal period

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 50 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

29819 without 50 · national facility

$550.11

Shoulder arthroscopy, loose or foreign body removal

29819-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$825.17

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).

When to use modifier 50

How 29819 has changed in Connecticut

29819 · Office / nonfacility

Rate unavailable

Effective 2026-10-01

A rate is unavailable in one of these releases, so a change cannot be calculated.

Base rate by release · bars start at $0 · select a bar to compare

One bar per available release, ordered by effective date. Missing rates remain gaps. These comparisons hold the code, setting and locality identifiers constant; they do not isolate which policy or input caused a change.

What changed, release by release
Rates in every CMS release
Effective fromOfficeFacilityCMS release
2026-10-01Not available in this setting$584.67RVU26D
2026-07-01Not available in this setting$584.67RVU26C
2026-04-01Not available in this setting$584.67RVU26B
2026-01-01Not available in this setting$584.67RVU26A
2025-10-01Not available in this setting$623.61RVU25D
2025-07-01Not available in this setting$623.61RVU25C
2025-04-01Not available in this setting$623.61RVU25B
2025-01-01Not available in this setting$623.61RVU25A
2024-10-01Not available in this setting$637.03RVU24D
2024-07-01Not available in this setting$637.03RVU24C
2024-04-01Not available in this setting$637.03RVU24B
2024-03-09Not available in this setting$637.03RVU24AR
2024-01-01Not available in this setting$626.64RVU24A
2023-10-01Not available in this setting$640.34RVU23D
2023-07-01Not available in this setting$640.34RVU23C
2023-04-01Not available in this setting$640.34RVU23B
2023-01-01Not available in this setting$640.34RVU23A
2022-10-01Not available in this setting$643.53RVU22D
2022-07-01Not available in this setting$643.53RVU22C
2022-04-01Not available in this setting$643.53RVU22B
2022-01-01Not available in this setting$643.53RVU22A
2021-10-01Not available in this setting$645.94RVU21D
2021-07-01Not available in this setting$645.94RVU21C
2021-04-01Not available in this setting$645.94RVU21B
2021-01-01Not available in this setting$645.94RVU21A
2020-10-01Not available in this setting$654.59RVU20D
2020-07-01Not available in this setting$654.59RVU20C
2020-04-01Not available in this setting$654.59RVU20B
2020-01-01Not available in this setting$654.59RVU20A
2019-10-01Not available in this setting$658.97RVU19D
2019-07-01Not available in this setting$658.97RVU19C
2019-04-01Not available in this setting$658.97RVU19B
2019-01-01Not available in this setting$658.97RVU19A
2018-10-01Not available in this setting$656.19RVU18D
2018-07-01Not available in this setting$656.19RVU18C
2018-04-01Not available in this setting$656.19RVU18B
2018-01-01Not available in this setting$656.19RVU18AR1
2017-10-01Not available in this setting$655.95RVU17D
2017-07-01Not available in this setting$655.95RVU17C
2017-04-01Not available in this setting$655.95RVU17B
2017-01-01Not available in this setting$655.95RVU17A
2016-10-01Not available in this setting$655.93RVU16D
2016-07-01Not available in this setting$655.93RVU16C
2016-04-01Not available in this setting$655.93RVU16B
2016-01-01Not available in this setting$655.93RVU16A
2015-10-01Not available in this setting$660.43RVU15D
2015-07-01Not available in this setting$660.43RVU15C
2015-04-01Not available in this setting$657.14RVU15B
2015-01-01Not available in this setting$657.14RVU15A
2014-10-01Not available in this setting$648.49RVU14D
2014-07-01Not available in this setting$648.49RVU14C
2014-04-01Not available in this setting$648.49RVU14B
2014-01-01Not available in this setting$648.49RVU14A
2013-10-01Not available in this setting$643.81RVU13D
2013-07-01Not available in this setting$643.81RVU13C
2013-04-01Not available in this setting$643.81RVU13B
2013-01-01Not available in this setting$643.81RVU13AR

Price 29819 for an earlier date of service

Where the Connecticut rate applies

Connecticut is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 215 cities and communities in Connecticut. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.

  • Ansonia
  • Ball Pond
  • Baltic
  • Bantam
  • Bethel
  • Bethlehem Village
  • Bigelow Corners
  • Blue Hills

Browse all communities in Connecticut

29819 billing questions

How does this differ from diagnostic shoulder arthroscopy?

Report 29819 when the surgeon actually removes a loose body or foreign material. Diagnostic arthroscopy, without that removal, is a different service.

Is debridement the same as loose-body removal?

No. Debridement treats specified tissue by removing or smoothing it; 29819 describes removal of a loose fragment or foreign material. Document each distinct procedure performed.

How is bilateral surgery reported?

CMS identifies this as a bilateral procedure; modifier 50 is paid at 150%.

What postoperative care is included?

The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.

Can an assistant surgeon be paid?

CMS lists a statutory restriction on assistant-at-surgery payment for this code. Co-surgeons are paid only with supporting documentation, and team surgery is 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
RVUs for 29819PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,319 (RVU26D)
Geographic factors for ConnecticutGPCI2026.csv, line 38 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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