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CPT code 29847: Wrist arthroscopy, internal fixation for fracture or instability2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Reports arthroscopic wrist surgery that uses internal fixation to treat a fracture or instability, with the operative work documented in the surgical record.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities55 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $517.05 for 29847 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 29847

Wrist arthroscopy, internal fixation for fracture or instability

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
7.04
Total RVUs
15.48
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$517.05

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 29847 →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 29847 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 29847 covers

A surgeon performs this procedure through wrist arthroscopy and uses internal fixation to treat a fracture or wrist instability. It may be used for selected carpal fractures, such as a scaphoid fracture, or an unstable wrist requiring fixation. These procedures are generally performed in an operating-room setting by an orthopedic or hand surgeon.

Choose the code based on the arthroscopic procedure actually performed, not the diagnosis alone. The operative report should identify the treated fracture or instability, the arthroscopic work, and the fixation used. 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. Modifier 50 is used for bilateral reporting, which CMS pays at 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 29847 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

29847 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$466.43
AlaskaUnavailable$627.36
ArizonaUnavailable$502.68
ArkansasUnavailable$460.18
Atlanta, GAUnavailable$531.47
Austin, TXUnavailable$525.31
Bakersfield, CAUnavailable$524.34
Baltimore area, MDUnavailable$549.55
Beaumont, TXUnavailable$492.62
Brazoria, TXUnavailable$505.89

29847 rates by state

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

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Explore a state

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
29847 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 29847 rate is calculated

Each of 29847’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 · 29847

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work7.04

7.04 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense6.95

6.95 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice1.49

1.49 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

15.4800

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$517.05

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 29847

29847 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 29847

Wrist arthroscopy, internal fixation for fracture or instability

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 · 29847

Wrist arthroscopy, internal fixation for fracture or instability

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

29847 without 50 · national facility

$517.05

Wrist arthroscopy, internal fixation for fracture or instability

29847-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$775.58

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

29847 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 29847

    Wrist arthroscopy, internal fixation for fracture or instability7.04 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 29840

    Wrist arthroscopy, diagnostic examination5.54 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 29846

    Wrist arthroscopy, TFCC treatment or joint debridement6.72 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 25628

    Scaphoid fixation, open treatment with fixation9.43 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

29840Wrist arthroscopyDiagnostic examination
Use 29840 for diagnostic wrist arthroscopy without the fixation treatment described by 29847. Use 29847 when arthroscopic surgery includes internal fixation for fracture or instability.
29846Wrist arthroscopyTFCC treatment or joint debridement
29846 covers arthroscopic treatment involving the triangular fibrocartilage or joint debridement. 29847 is distinguished by internal fixation for a fracture or instability.
25628Scaphoid fixationOpen treatment with fixation
25628 describes open treatment with internal fixation of a scaphoid fracture. 29847 is the arthroscopic wrist procedure when internal fixation is performed for fracture or instability.

Codes related to 29847

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

Codes related to 29847
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
29840Wrist arthroscopy, diagnostic examinationDiagnostic wrist arthroscopy in the same wrist arthroscopy code family.No office rate
29843Wrist arthroscopy, partial synovectomyWrist arthroscopy for infection treatment, including lavage and drainage.No office rate
29844Wrist arthroscopy, partial synovectomyWrist arthroscopic partial synovectomy.No office rate
29845Wrist arthroscopy, partial synovectomyWrist arthroscopic complete synovectomy.No office rate
29846Wrist arthroscopy, TFCC treatment or joint debridementWrist arthroscopic work involving the triangular fibrocartilage or joint debridement.No office rate
Used instead
25628Scaphoid fixation, open treatment with fixationOpen treatment with internal fixation of a scaphoid fracture rather than arthroscopic fixation.No office rate

29847 billing questions

How does 29847 differ from 29846?

29847 is for arthroscopic wrist surgery with internal fixation for a fracture or instability. Code 29846 describes different wrist arthroscopic work involving the triangular fibrocartilage or joint debridement.

When would 29840 be reported instead?

29840 describes diagnostic wrist arthroscopy. Choose 29847 when the surgeon performs arthroscopic treatment with internal fixation for a fracture or instability.

How are related endoscopies priced when performed together?

CMS applies endoscopy family pricing when related endoscopies are performed together. The operative record should support the procedures performed.

Can an assistant surgeon be reported?

CMS permits payment for an assistant at surgery for 29847. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.

What is included in the global period?

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

How is bilateral surgery reported?

CMS identifies this as a bilateral procedure; modifier 50 is paid at 150%.

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 29847PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,340 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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