CPT code 29879: Arthroscopic cartilage procedure, abrasion or microfracture2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Montana

In Montana, Medicare pays $623.14 for 29879 in a facility. There’s no office rate.

Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 29879 nationwide

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

What 29879 covers

During knee arthroscopy, the surgeon treats a focal articular cartilage defect by removing unstable cartilage and preparing the underlying subchondral bone with abrasion, drilling, or microfracture to encourage marrow-based repair. Orthopedic surgeons commonly perform this in an operating room or ambulatory surgery center for symptomatic cartilage damage. The operative note should identify the treated lesion and describe the marrow-stimulation technique.

Report this code for cartilage-restoration work, not routine cartilage smoothing alone; smoothing or debridement at the treated site is included. The operative report should distinguish this work from drilling for an osteochondritis dissecans lesion and document laterality, lesion location, and technique. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care through day 90. When related knee endoscopies are performed together, CMS endoscopy-family pricing applies. Modifier 50 identifies bilateral performance and CMS pays at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity; 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.

How Montana compares for 29879

Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the facility rate for 29879 runs from $555.77 in Arkansas to $759.95 in Alaska. Montana pays $623.14. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.

Every other payment area

29879 rates by state

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

See 29879 in every payment locality

How the 29879 rate is calculated

Each of 29879’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 29879

29879 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

Codes related to 29879

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

How 29879 has changed in Montana

Price 29879 for an earlier date of service

Where the Montana rate applies

Montana is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 497 cities and communities in Montana. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.

• Absarokee
• Acton
• Alberton
• Alder
• Alzada
• Amsterdam
• Anaconda-Deer Lodge County
• Antelope

Browse all communities in Montana

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