CPT code 29881: Knee meniscectomy, medial or lateral meniscus2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Missouri
Reports knee arthroscopy to remove torn meniscal tissue from either the medial or lateral meniscus, with related cartilage shaving included when performed.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 29881 in Missouri.
Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.
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What 29881 covers
An orthopedic surgeon uses a camera and instruments inserted through small knee incisions to remove unstable torn tissue from the medial or lateral meniscus. This is typically performed for a symptomatic meniscal tear in a hospital outpatient department or ambulatory surgery center. Cartilage debridement or shaving performed during the procedure is included, whether in the same or another compartment.
Select this code when the operative report supports meniscectomy of one meniscus; trimming and suturing a tear are different services. Document the meniscus treated, the tissue removed, and any cartilage work. The CMS global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When related endoscopies are performed together, endoscopy-family pricing applies. For bilateral procedures, modifier 50 is paid 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.
Where 29881 pays more and less in Missouri
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Kansas City, MO | Unavailable | $499.99 |
| Metropolitan St. Louis, MO | Unavailable | $504.28 |
| Rest of Missouri | Unavailable | $481.35 |
How the 29881 rate is calculated
Each of 29881’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 · 29881
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work6.85
6.85 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense7.19
7.19 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.40
1.40 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
15.4400
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$515.71
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 29881
29881 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 29881
Knee meniscectomy, medial or lateral meniscus
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 090 | Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included. |
| Multiple procedures | 3 | Endoscopy family rules apply. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 1 | Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.10/0.69/0.21 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 29881
Knee meniscectomy, medial or lateral meniscus
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.
Pre-op dayGlobal period
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
29881 without 50 · national facility
$515.71
Knee meniscectomy, medial or lateral meniscus
29881-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$773.57
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).
29881 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 29880Knee meniscectomyMedial and lateral menisci
- Use 29880 when meniscectomy is performed on both the medial and lateral menisci; this code represents meniscectomy of either one.
- 29882Meniscus repairMedial or lateral
- Use 29882 when the surgeon arthroscopically repairs one meniscus. This code represents removal of torn meniscal tissue, not repair.
- 29883Meniscus repairMedial and lateral
- Use 29883 for arthroscopic repair of both menisci. This code is for meniscectomy of one meniscus.
- 29877Knee chondroplastyArthroscopic cartilage smoothing
- Code 29877 describes cartilage debridement without the meniscectomy represented here; cartilage shaving performed during this procedure is included.
29881 billing questions
How does this differ from 29880?
This code is for meniscectomy of either the medial or lateral meniscus. Code 29880 is for meniscectomy of both menisci.
Is cartilage shaving separately reported?
Cartilage debridement or shaving performed during this meniscectomy is included, even when it is in a different compartment. Do not separately report 29877 for that work.
Should this code be used when the surgeon repairs the meniscus?
No. Use the applicable meniscal repair code when the surgeon sutures the tear rather than removing the torn tissue.
How is bilateral surgery reported?
For procedures on both knees, report modifier 50; CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.
What assistant and surgeon arrangements are payable?
Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity. CMS does not permit co-surgeons or team surgery for this code.
What does the global period include?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
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
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