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CPT code 29844: Wrist arthroscopy, partial synovectomy2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Arthroscopic partial synovectomy removes a portion of abnormal wrist-joint synovial tissue when operative treatment of synovitis is indicated.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities158 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $470.95 for 29844 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 29844

Wrist arthroscopy, partial synovectomy

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
6.35
Total RVUs
14.10
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$470.95

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 29844 →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 29844 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 29844 covers

The surgeon uses a small camera and instruments through wrist portals to remove part of the thickened or inflamed synovial lining inside the joint. This may be performed by an orthopedic or hand surgeon in a hospital or ambulatory surgery center for wrist synovitis requiring operative treatment. The work is a partial removal, rather than removal of the entire synovial lining or arthroscopic treatment directed at another wrist problem.

Report this code when the operative report supports arthroscopic removal of only part of the wrist-joint synovium. Documentation should identify the synovial abnormality, the arthroscopic approach, and the tissue removed; select a complete synovectomy code when the documented removal is complete. 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 reported with modifier 50, payment is 150%. An assistant at surgery may be paid; 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 29844 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

29844 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$425.69
AlaskaUnavailable$572.37
ArizonaUnavailable$458.21
ArkansasUnavailable$420.09
Atlanta, GAUnavailable$483.45
Austin, TXUnavailable$479.21
Bakersfield, CAUnavailable$479.50
Baltimore area, MDUnavailable$500.09
Beaumont, TXUnavailable$448.45
Brazoria, TXUnavailable$461.51

29844 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
29844 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 29844 rate is calculated

Each of 29844’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 · 29844

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work6.35

6.35 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense6.50

6.50 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice1.25

1.25 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

14.1000

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$470.95

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 29844

29844 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 29844

Wrist arthroscopy, partial synovectomy

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period090Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included.
Multiple procedures3Endoscopy family rules apply.
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)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.10/0.69/0.21Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 29844

Wrist arthroscopy, partial synovectomy

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.

  • 24Unrelated E/M visit by the same physician
  • 79Unrelated procedure (starts its own global period)
  • 58Staged, more extensive, or therapy procedure that was planned
  • 78Unplanned return to the operating room for a related complication
SurgeryVisit
Sep 23, 2026Jan 10, 2027

Pre-op dayGlobal period

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 50 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

29844 without 50 · national facility

$470.95

Wrist arthroscopy, partial synovectomy

29844-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$706.43

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

29844 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 29844

    Wrist arthroscopy, partial synovectomy6.35 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 29845

    Wrist arthroscopy, partial synovectomy7.5 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 29843

    Wrist arthroscopy, partial synovectomy6 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 29846

    Wrist arthroscopy, TFCC treatment or joint debridement6.72 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

29845Wrist arthroscopyPartial synovectomy
29845 represents complete arthroscopic wrist synovectomy. Use 29844 when the surgeon removes only part of the synovial lining.
29843Wrist arthroscopyPartial synovectomy
29843 describes arthroscopic wrist lavage and drainage for infection, rather than partial synovial tissue removal.
29846Wrist arthroscopyTFCC treatment or joint debridement
29846 addresses arthroscopic treatment involving triangular fibrocartilage or wrist-joint debridement. Choose 29844 when the documented work is partial synovectomy.

Codes related to 29844

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

Codes related to 29844
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
29845Wrist arthroscopy, partial synovectomyWrist arthroscopy code for complete rather than partial synovectomy.No office rate
29843Wrist arthroscopy, partial synovectomyWrist arthroscopy code for lavage and drainage in an infectious condition.No office rate
29846Wrist arthroscopy, TFCC treatment or joint debridementWrist arthroscopy code for treatment involving triangular fibrocartilage or joint debridement.No office rate
29840Wrist arthroscopy, diagnostic examinationDiagnostic wrist arthroscopy, rather than arthroscopic partial synovectomy.No office rate

29844 billing questions

How does this differ from complete wrist synovectomy?

This code is for arthroscopic removal of part of the wrist-joint synovium. Use the complete synovectomy code when the operative report supports removal of the entire synovial lining.

Is lavage and drainage for wrist infection the same service?

No. Arthroscopic lavage and drainage for infection is a distinct wrist procedure; this code represents partial synovectomy.

What documentation supports partial synovectomy?

The operative report should describe abnormal synovium and arthroscopic removal of a portion of it. The documented extent helps distinguish partial from complete synovectomy.

How is a bilateral procedure reported?

CMS identifies this as a bilateral procedure payable with modifier 50 at 150%. The record should support the procedure on both wrists.

What postoperative care is included?

The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.

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 29844PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,337 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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