CPT code 29840: Wrist arthroscopy, diagnostic examination2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $441.23 for 29840 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 29840 covers

An orthopedic or hand surgeon inserts an arthroscope into the wrist joint to inspect its internal structures and assess suspected intra-articular problems, such as persistent pain with an uncertain cause. The surgeon may take a synovial biopsy during the examination. This is a surgical service typically performed in a facility operating room, rather than a routine office evaluation.

Report 29840 when the wrist arthroscopy is diagnostic and no more definitive arthroscopic procedure is performed on that joint during the same session; the diagnostic survey is part of a therapeutic arthroscopy when one is performed. The operative report should support the indication, arthroscopic examination, findings, and any biopsy. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity; 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 29840 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

29840 rates by state

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

How the 29840 rate is calculated

Each of 29840’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 29840

29840 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

29840 compared with similar codes

How to choose

29843Wrist arthroscopyPartial synovectomy

Use 29840 for diagnostic wrist-joint inspection, with or without biopsy. Code 29843 describes arthroscopic lavage and drainage for infection.

29844Wrist arthroscopyPartial synovectomy

29840 is diagnostic; 29844 represents therapeutic partial synovectomy. A diagnostic survey during the synovectomy is not separately reported.

29846Wrist arthroscopyTFCC treatment or joint debridement

Use 29846 when arthroscopy includes triangular fibrocartilage work or joint debridement; 29840 is for a diagnostic examination without that definitive treatment.

29847Wrist arthroscopyInternal fixation for fracture or instability

29847 describes arthroscopic internal fixation for a distal radius fracture, not diagnostic wrist inspection.

Codes related to 29840

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