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CPT code 29826: Shoulder decompression, subacromial space2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Reports arthroscopic subacromial decompression, including partial acromioplasty, when performed with an eligible primary shoulder arthroscopy for impingement.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities88.1K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $147.63 for 29826 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 29826

Shoulder decompression, subacromial space

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
2.93
Total RVUs
4.42
Global days
ZZZ

National rate · 2026

$147.63

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 29826 →Billed by an NP, PA or therapist? →

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

Medicare pays by the payment locality where the service is performed.

On this page 10 sections
  1. Medicare rate
  2. What 29826 covers
  3. By payment locality
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Similar codes
  8. Related codes
  9. Billing questions
  10. Sources

What 29826 covers

An orthopedic surgeon uses a shoulder arthroscope and instruments to create more room in the subacromial space, typically by removing part of the acromion’s undersurface; release of the coracoacromial ligament may also be performed. The service is commonly part of arthroscopic treatment of shoulder impingement and may accompany procedures such as rotator cuff repair or distal clavicle excision.

Code 29826 is an add-on, not a stand-alone arthroscopy service. Report it with an eligible primary shoulder arthroscopy and document the decompression performed, including the acromial work and any ligament release. CMS pays it within the primary procedure’s global period. For a bilateral procedure reported with modifier 50, CMS pays 150%.

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 29826 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

29826 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$135.42
AlaskaUnavailable$189.84
ArizonaUnavailable$143.90
ArkansasUnavailable$133.95
Atlanta, GAUnavailable$152.31
Austin, TXUnavailable$147.38
Bakersfield, CAUnavailable$144.83
Baltimore area, MDUnavailable$156.01
Beaumont, TXUnavailable$143.52
Brazoria, TXUnavailable$143.88

29826 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
29826 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

How the 29826 rate is calculated

Each of 29826’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 · 29826

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work2.93

2.93 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense0.91

0.91 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.58

0.58 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

4.4200

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$147.63

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 29826

The CMS indicators that decide how 29826 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 29826

Shoulder decompression, subacromial space

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global periodZZZAdd-on code: falls within the primary procedure’s global period.
Multiple procedures0No multiple-procedure reduction.
Bilateral (modifier 50)1Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)2Paid.
Co-surgeons (62)1Permitted with supporting documentation.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 50 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

29826 without 50 · national facility

$147.63

Shoulder decompression, subacromial space

29826-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$221.45

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

29826 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

5 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 29826

    Shoulder decompression, subacromial space2.93 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 29822

    Shoulder debridement, limited, one or two structures6.85 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 29823

    Arthroscopic debridement, extensive, three or more structures7.78 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 29824

    Shoulder arthroscopy, distal clavicle resection8.76 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 29827

    Rotator cuff repair, arthroscopic technique15.2 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

29822Shoulder debridementLimited, one or two structures
Use 29822 for limited arthroscopic debridement; 29826 describes subacromial decompression with acromial bone work, not simply tissue cleanup.
29823Arthroscopic debridementExtensive, three or more structures
Use 29823 for extensive arthroscopic debridement. It does not represent the acromial decompression service captured by 29826.
29824Shoulder arthroscopyDistal clavicle resection
29824 is for arthroscopic distal clavicle excision. It may be a primary procedure paired with 29826, but it describes different bone work.
29827Rotator cuff repairArthroscopic technique
29827 describes arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Add 29826 only when subacromial decompression is also performed and documented.

Codes related to 29826

Related codes aren’t interchangeable: bill the code that matches the service performed.

Codes related to 29826
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Primary code
29827Rotator cuff repair, arthroscopic techniqueMay be the primary arthroscopic rotator cuff repair when decompression is also performed.No office rate
29824Shoulder arthroscopy, distal clavicle resectionMay be the primary arthroscopic distal clavicle excision performed with decompression.No office rate
29822Shoulder debridement, limited, one or two structuresLimited debridement may serve as the primary procedure when decompression is also performed.No office rate
29823Arthroscopic debridement, extensive, three or more structuresExtensive debridement may serve as the primary procedure when decompression is also performed.No office rate
29807Shoulder arthroscopy, superior labrum repairMay be the primary arthroscopic SLAP repair when decompression is also performed.No office rate
29828Biceps tenodesis, arthroscopic shoulderMay be the primary arthroscopic biceps tenodesis when decompression is also performed.No office rate

29826 billing questions

Can 29826 be reported by itself?

No. It is an add-on code and must be reported with an eligible primary shoulder arthroscopy.

Can 29826 be reported with a rotator cuff repair?

Yes. It may be reported with 29827 when the surgeon also performs and documents the subacromial decompression.

How is 29826 different from 29822 or 29823?

29826 represents subacromial decompression with acromial bone work, while 29822 and 29823 represent limited or extensive arthroscopic debridement.

What should the operative report support?

Document the subacromial decompression, including the acromial work and whether the coracoacromial ligament was released, as well as the separately reportable primary arthroscopy.

How is a bilateral procedure reported under the CMS rule?

Report modifier 50 for the bilateral procedure; CMS pays 150%.

Is 29826 paid outside the primary procedure's global period?

No. CMS identifies this add-on as paid within the global period of its primary procedure.

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 29826PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,326 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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