CPT code 29838: Elbow debridement, extensive arthroscopic treatment2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Report this code when an orthopedic surgeon performs extensive arthroscopic debridement of abnormal tissue within the elbow joint, beyond limited cleanup.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 29838 in Texas.
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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What 29838 covers
An orthopedic surgeon uses an arthroscope and instruments passed through small incisions to remove substantial damaged or diseased tissue from inside the elbow joint. The procedure may address extensive cartilage or other tissue changes associated with elbow arthritis or injury. It is performed in an operating room, commonly in a hospital outpatient department or ambulatory surgery center, when the surgeon determines that arthroscopic treatment is appropriate.
Choose this code when the operative report supports extensive debridement rather than the limited work represented by 29837. Document the treated structures, location, and extent of tissue removal; the term “extensive” alone does not establish the service. 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 procedures, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. An assistant at surgery is paid only with medical-necessity documentation; 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 29838 pays more and less in Texas
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
8 of 8 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Austin, TX | Unavailable | $567.64 |
| Beaumont, TX | Unavailable | $532.27 |
| Brazoria, TX | Unavailable | $546.94 |
| Dallas, TX | Unavailable | $552.47 |
| Fort Worth, TX | Unavailable | $550.63 |
| Galveston, TX | Unavailable | $549.91 |
| Houston, TX | Unavailable | $578.10 |
| Rest of Texas | Unavailable | $540.70 |
How the 29838 rate is calculated
Each of 29838’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 · 29838
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work7.68
7.68 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense7.50
7.50 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.54
1.54 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
16.7200
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$558.46
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 29838
29838 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 29838
Elbow debridement, extensive arthroscopic treatment
| 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) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| 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 · 29838
Elbow debridement, extensive arthroscopic treatment
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
29838 without 50 · national facility
$558.46
Elbow debridement, extensive arthroscopic treatment
29838-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$837.69
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).
29838 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 29837Elbow arthroscopyLimited debridement
- Both describe arthroscopic elbow debridement. Choose 29838 for extensive work and 29837 for limited work, as supported by the operative report.
- 29834Elbow arthroscopyLoose or foreign body removal
- This code is for extensive debridement; 29834 is for arthroscopic removal of a loose body or foreign body.
- 29835Elbow arthroscopyPartial synovectomy
- 29835 describes partial synovectomy. Use 29838 for extensive debridement of abnormal tissue rather than synovial removal as the defining procedure.
- 29830Elbow arthroscopyDiagnostic examination
- 29830 is diagnostic elbow arthroscopy. Use 29838 when the surgeon performs extensive therapeutic debridement.
29838 billing questions
How do I choose between 29838 and 29837?
Use 29838 when the operative report supports extensive arthroscopic debridement. Use 29837 for limited debridement; document the treated areas and the extent of work rather than relying on the code label alone.
Does removal of a loose body point to this code?
When the operative objective is arthroscopic removal of a loose body or foreign body, compare 29834. The documentation should identify the actual work performed; do not infer extensive debridement from loose-body removal alone.
How does CMS price related endoscopies performed together?
CMS applies endoscopy family pricing when related endoscopies are performed together. This payment rule does not, by itself, determine which services are separately reportable.
Can I report modifier 50 for both elbows?
For a bilateral procedure, CMS pays modifier 50 at 150%. The record should support treatment of both elbows.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
When is an assistant at surgery payable?
CMS pays an assistant at surgery only when documentation supports medical necessity. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted for this code.
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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