CPT code 29820: Shoulder synovectomy, partial, arthroscopic2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $501.68 for 29820 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 29820 covers

During shoulder arthroscopy, the surgeon removes a portion of abnormal synovial lining to treat active synovitis. The lining may be thickened and inflamed in conditions such as inflammatory arthritis or degenerative shoulder disease. An orthopedic surgeon performs the procedure with an arthroscope and instruments through small portals, commonly in a hospital outpatient department or ambulatory surgery center. This is therapeutic tissue removal, not simply inspection or biopsy.

Report 29820 when the operative note supports partial synovectomy and identifies the synovium treated and work performed; synovitis noted during inspection alone is not enough. Distinguish partial removal from complete synovectomy. Diagnostic inspection that is part of the same surgical arthroscopy is not separately reported. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. Endoscopy-family pricing applies when related endoscopies are performed together. For bilateral surgery, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; co-surgeon payment requires 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 29820 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

29820 rates by state

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

How the 29820 rate is calculated

Each of 29820’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 29820

29820 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

29820 compared with similar codes

How to choose

29821Shoulder arthroscopyComplete synovectomy

29821 is for complete synovectomy; 29820 describes partial synovial removal. Use the operative report's documented extent to distinguish them.

29822Shoulder debridementLimited, one or two structures

29822 describes limited shoulder debridement, not partial synovectomy. Do not use it merely because synovial tissue was removed.

29823Arthroscopic debridementExtensive, three or more structures

29823 describes extensive shoulder debridement. It is not selected based only on the amount of synovium removed.

29805Shoulder arthroscopyDiagnostic examination

29805 is diagnostic shoulder arthroscopy, with or without synovial biopsy. Use 29820 when the surgeon therapeutically removes part of the synovium.

Codes related to 29820

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