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CPT code 29845: Wrist arthroscopy, partial synovectomy2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Reports arthroscopic removal of part of the wrist synovium when diseased or inflamed tissue requires surgical treatment.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities248 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $546.77 for 29845 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 29845

Wrist arthroscopy, partial synovectomy

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
7.5
Total RVUs
16.37
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$546.77

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 29845 →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 29845 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 29845 covers

An orthopedic or hand surgeon uses a wrist arthroscope and instruments to remove a portion of abnormal synovial tissue lining the joint. The procedure may be performed for persistent wrist synovitis, including proliferative tissue associated with inflammatory disease. It is generally done in an operating room, such as a hospital outpatient department or ambulatory surgery center. The operative report should identify the treated wrist, the synovial abnormality, and the tissue removed.

Select this code when the surgeon performs a partial arthroscopic synovectomy; a complete synovectomy is represented by a different wrist arthroscopy code. Document the extent of tissue removal and any distinct procedures performed. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care. When related endoscopies are performed together, endoscopy family pricing applies. For bilateral reporting, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. An assistant at surgery may be paid; 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 29845 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

29845 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$494.77
AlaskaUnavailable$666.39
ArizonaUnavailable$532.12
ArkansasUnavailable$488.34
Atlanta, GAUnavailable$561.22
Austin, TXUnavailable$556.13
Bakersfield, CAUnavailable$556.39
Baltimore area, MDUnavailable$580.35
Beaumont, TXUnavailable$521.03
Brazoria, TXUnavailable$535.89

29845 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
29845 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 29845 rate is calculated

Each of 29845’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 · 29845

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work7.50

7.50 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense7.42

7.42 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice1.45

1.45 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

16.3700

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$546.77

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 29845

29845 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 29845

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)1Permitted with supporting documentation.
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 · 29845

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

29845 without 50 · national facility

$546.77

Wrist arthroscopy, partial synovectomy

29845-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$820.16

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

29845 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

5 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 29845

    Wrist arthroscopy, partial synovectomy7.5 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 29844

    Wrist arthroscopy, partial synovectomy6.35 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 29843

    Wrist arthroscopy, partial synovectomy6 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 29846

    Wrist arthroscopy, TFCC treatment or joint debridement6.72 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 29840

    Wrist arthroscopy, diagnostic examination5.54 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

29844Wrist arthroscopyPartial synovectomy
Choose 29845 when the synovectomy is partial. Code 29844 represents complete removal of wrist synovium.
29843Wrist arthroscopyPartial synovectomy
29843 is for arthroscopic lavage and drainage in an infected wrist. It is not the code for partial synovial tissue removal.
29846Wrist arthroscopyTFCC treatment or joint debridement
29846 addresses triangular fibrocartilage treatment or wrist joint debridement; use 29845 when the documented work is partial synovectomy.
29840Wrist arthroscopyDiagnostic examination
29840 describes diagnostic wrist arthroscopy. Use 29845 when the surgeon performs partial synovial tissue removal.

Codes related to 29845

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

Codes related to 29845
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
29844Wrist arthroscopy, partial synovectomyWrist arthroscopy code for complete rather than partial synovectomy.No office rate
29843Wrist arthroscopy, partial synovectomyWrist arthroscopy for lavage and drainage in an infection setting.No office rate
29846Wrist arthroscopy, TFCC treatment or joint debridementWrist arthroscopy addressing triangular fibrocartilage or joint debridement.No office rate
29840Wrist arthroscopy, diagnostic examinationDiagnostic wrist arthroscopy without the partial synovectomy service.No office rate

29845 billing questions

How does this differ from code 29844?

This code represents partial removal of wrist synovium. Code 29844 is used when the surgeon performs a complete synovectomy.

When would code 29843 be more appropriate?

Code 29843 describes wrist arthroscopy for lavage and drainage in an infection setting. Use this code for partial synovial tissue removal instead.

What documentation supports partial synovectomy?

Document the synovial disease or abnormality, the wrist treated, and the arthroscopic work showing that only part of the synovium was removed.

How is bilateral wrist surgery reported?

CMS pays bilateral reporting with modifier 50 at 150%. The operative documentation should support treatment of both wrists.

What payment rules apply when other endoscopies are performed in the same session?

CMS applies endoscopy family pricing when related endoscopies are performed together. The code also has a 90-day global period; related postoperative care is included.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

An assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted.

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 29845PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,338 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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