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CPT code 29873: Knee arthroscopy, arthroscopic lateral release2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Arthroscopic lateral release treats patellar maltracking or lateral compression by dividing tight lateral retinacular tissue during knee surgery.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities1.5K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $521.05 for 29873 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 29873

Knee arthroscopy, arthroscopic lateral release

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
6.08
Total RVUs
15.60
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$521.05

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 29873 →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 29873 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 29873 covers

This procedure uses a knee arthroscope and instruments to release tight tissue along the outer side of the patella, reducing lateral restraint when patellar tracking or tilt is the surgical problem. Orthopedic surgeons perform it in an operating room, commonly for symptomatic patellar maltracking or lateral compression. The operative report should identify the lateral retinacular release rather than only diagnostic inspection or work on cartilage, synovium, or meniscus.

Report the arthroscopic release actually performed, supported by the indication, laterality, arthroscopic findings, and operative description. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. If related endoscopies are performed together, endoscopy-family pricing applies. For bilateral reporting, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery; co-surgeons are paid only with 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 29873 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

29873 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$468.30
AlaskaUnavailable$621.63
ArizonaUnavailable$506.44
ArkansasUnavailable$461.74
Atlanta, GAUnavailable$534.54
Austin, TXUnavailable$532.66
Bakersfield, CAUnavailable$534.94
Baltimore area, MDUnavailable$554.42
Beaumont, TXUnavailable$493.24
Brazoria, TXUnavailable$510.94

29873 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
29873 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 29873 rate is calculated

Each of 29873’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 · 29873

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work6.08

6.08 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense8.26

8.26 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice1.26

1.26 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

15.6000

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$521.05

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 29873

29873 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 29873

Knee arthroscopy, arthroscopic lateral release

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)1Not paid (statutory restriction).
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 · 29873

Knee arthroscopy, arthroscopic lateral release

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

29873 without 50 · national facility

$521.05

Knee arthroscopy, arthroscopic lateral release

29873-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$781.58

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

29873 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

5 codes, side by side

Office or facility?

  • 29873

    Knee arthroscopy, arthroscopic lateral release6.08 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 27425

    Patellar release, open lateral retinacular release5.26 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 29870

    Knee arthroscopy, diagnostic, with or without biopsy5.06 wRVU

    $602.89

  • 29875

    Knee synovectomy, limited arthroscopic excision6.29 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 29877

    Knee chondroplasty, arthroscopic cartilage smoothing8.09 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

27425Patellar releaseOpen lateral retinacular release
Use 29873 for an arthroscopic lateral release and 27425 when the release is performed through an open approach.
29870Knee arthroscopyDiagnostic, with or without biopsy
29870 describes diagnostic knee arthroscopy. Use 29873 when the surgeon performs a therapeutic lateral retinacular release.
29875Knee synovectomyLimited arthroscopic excision
29875 addresses limited synovial tissue removal; 29873 addresses release of lateral retinacular tissue to treat patellar restraint or tracking.
29877Knee chondroplastyArthroscopic cartilage smoothing
29877 describes arthroscopic cartilage debridement or shaving. It does not represent a lateral retinacular release.

Codes related to 29873

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

Codes related to 29873
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
27425Patellar release, open lateral retinacular releaseOpen lateral retinacular release for the same general surgical target.No office rate
Often billed with
29874Knee arthroscopy, loose or foreign bodyLoose-body removal may be performed during the same knee arthroscopy as a distinct service.No office rate
29877Knee chondroplasty, arthroscopic cartilage smoothingCartilage debridement may be performed during the same arthroscopy as a distinct service.No office rate
29880Knee meniscectomy, medial and lateral menisciMeniscectomy of both compartments may be performed during the same knee arthroscopy.No office rate
29881Knee meniscectomy, medial or lateral meniscusMeniscectomy of one compartment may be performed during the same knee arthroscopy.No office rate

29873 billing questions

How does this differ from an open lateral release?

This code describes release performed arthroscopically. CPT 27425 is the open approach to lateral retinacular release.

Can it be reported with a meniscectomy or chondroplasty?

It may be reported with separately performed arthroscopic work when the operative report supports each service. CMS applies endoscopy-family pricing when related endoscopies are performed together.

What does the 90-day global period include?

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

How is bilateral surgery reported?

For a bilateral procedure, modifier 50 is paid at 150% under the CMS rule for this code.

May an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code. Co-surgeons are paid only with supporting documentation; 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 29873PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,355 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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