CPT code 29824: Shoulder arthroscopy, distal clavicle resection2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Louisiana
Reports arthroscopic removal of the distal clavicle, commonly to treat symptomatic acromioclavicular joint arthritis after nonoperative care has not relieved symptoms.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 29824 in Louisiana.
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 29824 covers
An orthopedic surgeon uses an arthroscope and instruments through small shoulder incisions to remove the outer end of the clavicle at the acromioclavicular (AC) joint. This is commonly performed for painful AC joint arthritis or related distal clavicle pathology when surgery is indicated. The procedure is typically done in a hospital outpatient department or ambulatory surgery center, sometimes during the same session as another shoulder arthroscopy procedure.
Report the code when the operative work includes arthroscopic resection of the distal clavicle; the operative report should identify the AC joint pathology and document the resection performed. CMS assigns a 90-day major-surgery global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For bilateral procedures, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. When related endoscopies are performed together, endoscopy-family pricing applies. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made; 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 29824 pays more and less in Louisiana
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans, LA | Unavailable | $629.99 |
| Rest of Louisiana | Unavailable | $603.42 |
How the 29824 rate is calculated
Each of 29824’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 · 29824
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work8.76
8.76 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense8.61
8.61 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.76
1.76 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
19.1300
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$638.96
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 29824
29824 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 29824
Shoulder arthroscopy, distal clavicle resection
| 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 | 3 | Endoscopy family rules apply. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 1 | Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 2 | Paid. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| 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 · 29824
Shoulder arthroscopy, distal clavicle resection
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
29824 without 50 · national facility
$638.96
Shoulder arthroscopy, distal clavicle resection
29824-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$958.44
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).
29824 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 29826Shoulder decompressionSubacromial space
- 29826 represents arthroscopic subacromial decompression work, such as acromioplasty. This code represents resection at the AC joint.
- 29823Arthroscopic debridementExtensive, three or more structures
- 29823 is for extensive arthroscopic debridement; it does not represent distal clavicle resection. Choose based on the documented work performed.
- 29822Shoulder debridementLimited, one or two structures
- 29822 describes limited arthroscopic debridement, not removal of the distal clavicle. Debridement alone does not support this code.
- 23120Clavicle resectionPartial claviculectomy
- 23120 is the open approach for partial clavicle removal. This code is for arthroscopic distal clavicle resection.
29824 billing questions
When should this code be chosen instead of 29826?
Use this code for arthroscopic resection of the distal clavicle at the AC joint. Code 29826 describes subacromial decompression work, such as acromioplasty, rather than distal clavicle resection.
Can distal clavicle excision be reported with rotator cuff repair?
The procedures may be performed during the same shoulder arthroscopy. Report each service supported by the operative work, and account for CMS endoscopy-family pricing when related endoscopies are performed together.
What documentation supports reporting this code?
The operative report should identify the AC joint condition and describe arthroscopic removal of the distal clavicle. A diagnosis of AC joint arthritis alone does not establish that the resection was performed.
How is a bilateral procedure reported?
CMS identifies this as a bilateral procedure; modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Document the work performed on each shoulder.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. Related follow-up care during that period is part of the surgical global service.
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
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