CPT code 29876: Knee synovectomy, two or more compartments2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $614.91 for 29876 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 29876 covers

An orthopedic surgeon uses a knee arthroscope and instruments to remove abnormal or inflamed synovial tissue from two or more compartments. This may be performed for substantial synovitis affecting multiple areas of the joint. The procedure is typically done in a hospital outpatient department or ambulatory surgery center; the operative report should identify the treated compartments and describe the synovectomy performed in each.

Choose this code for a major synovectomy involving multiple compartments, rather than a limited synovectomy confined to one compartment. Document the clinical indication, the extent and location of the synovial disease, and any other arthroscopic work. The service has 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 a bilateral procedure, paid at 150%. Medicare does not pay for an assistant at surgery; 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 29876 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

29876 rates by state

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

How the 29876 rate is calculated

Each of 29876’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 29876

29876 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

29876 compared with similar codes

How to choose

29875Knee synovectomyLimited arthroscopic excision

Use 29875 for a limited synovectomy in one compartment; use 29876 when the major synovectomy involves at least two compartments.

29870Knee arthroscopyDiagnostic, with or without biopsy

29870 describes diagnostic knee arthroscopy, with or without synovial biopsy. This code represents therapeutic removal of synovial tissue from multiple compartments.

29877Knee chondroplastyArthroscopic cartilage smoothing

29877 addresses arthroscopic debridement or shaving of knee joint structures, not a major synovectomy of multiple compartments.

29880Knee meniscectomyMedial and lateral menisci

29880 describes meniscectomy involving both the medial and lateral menisci. It may be reported with this code when the synovectomy is performed in a separate compartment.

Codes related to 29876

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