CPT code 29885: Knee arthroscopy, intact OCD lesion drilling2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in New Mexico
Arthroscopic drilling of an intact knee osteochondritis dissecans lesion is reported to stimulate healing when the fragment remains stable and is not internally fixed.
In New Mexico, Medicare pays $701.00 for 29885 in a facility. There’s no office rate.
Check a contract rate as a % of Medicare · 29885 nationwide
Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.
On this page 11 sections
What 29885 covers
An orthopedic surgeon uses a knee arthroscope and instruments passed through small portals to drill an intact osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) lesion. The perforations encourage blood flow and healing in the affected osteochondral area while leaving the stable fragment in place. This procedure is performed in an operating room, typically in a hospital outpatient department or ambulatory surgery center.
Report 29885 when the operative documentation supports drilling of an intact OCD lesion without internal fixation. Distinguish it from codes for drilling an OCD lesion that is not specified as intact or for drilling with fixation. 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. For bilateral procedures, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made; co-surgeon payment requires 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.
How New Mexico compares for 29885
Across 109 of 109 payment localities, the facility rate for 29885 runs from $634.49 in Arkansas to $866.92 in Alaska. New Mexico pays $701.00. The RVUs are the same everywhere; the geographic indexes change the dollars.
- New Mexico · this page$701.00
- Los Angeles, CA · California$758.88+$57.88
- Washington, DC area · District of Columbia$793.44+$92.44
- Miami, FL · Florida$833.39+$132.39
- Chicago, IL · Illinois$808.01+$107.01
- Manhattan, NY · New York$825.31+$124.31
- Alaska · Alaska$866.92+$165.92
Other areas in New Mexico first, then benchmark localities. Bars start at $0.
Every other payment area
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| AlabamaAlabama | — | $643.05 |
| ArkansasArkansas | — | $634.49 |
| ArizonaArizona | — | $692.66 |
| Bakersfield, CACalifornia | — | $720.76 |
| Chico, CACalifornia | — | $714.93 |
| El Centro, CACalifornia | — | $715.28 |
| Fresno, CACalifornia | — | $714.93 |
| Hanford, CACalifornia | — | $714.93 |
| Madera, CACalifornia | — | $714.93 |
| Merced, CACalifornia | — | $714.93 |
| Modesto, CACalifornia | — | $714.93 |
| Napa, CACalifornia | — | $796.90 |
| Oxnard, CACalifornia | — | $751.34 |
| Redding, CACalifornia | — | $714.93 |
| Rest of CaliforniaCalifornia | — | $714.93 |
| Riverside, CACalifornia | — | $737.71 |
| Sacramento, CACalifornia | — | $741.96 |
| Salinas, CACalifornia | — | $739.07 |
| San Diego, CACalifornia | — | $750.60 |
| Marin County, CACalifornia | — | $832.52 |
| San Francisco, CACalifornia | — | $830.11 |
| San Benito County, CACalifornia | — | $852.85 |
| Santa Clara County, CACalifornia | — | $843.01 |
| San Luis Obispo, CACalifornia | — | $728.23 |
| Santa Cruz, CACalifornia | — | $753.06 |
| Santa Maria, CACalifornia | — | $740.23 |
| Santa Rosa, CACalifornia | — | $760.07 |
| Stockton, CACalifornia | — | $714.93 |
| Vallejo, CACalifornia | — | $793.43 |
| Visalia, CACalifornia | — | $714.93 |
| Yuba City, CACalifornia | — | $714.93 |
| ColoradoColorado | — | $720.72 |
| ConnecticutConnecticut | — | $757.77 |
| DelawareDelaware | — | $703.24 |
| Fort Lauderdale, FLFlorida | — | $773.68 |
| Rest of FloridaFlorida | — | $734.45 |
| Atlanta, GAGeorgia | — | $732.62 |
| Rest of GeorgiaGeorgia | — | $692.63 |
| Hawaii, Guam, HIHawaii | — | $725.00 |
| IowaIowa | — | $643.45 |
| IdahoIdaho | — | $650.38 |
| East St. Louis, ILIllinois | — | $759.50 |
| Rest of IllinoisIllinois | — | $725.40 |
| Suburban Chicago, ILIllinois | — | $777.78 |
| IndianaIndiana | — | $653.47 |
| KansasKansas | — | $647.63 |
| KentuckyKentucky | — | $672.09 |
| New Orleans, LALouisiana | — | $703.82 |
| Rest of LouisianaLouisiana | — | $673.90 |
| Metropolitan Boston, MAMassachusetts | — | $778.28 |
| Rest of MassachusettsMassachusetts | — | $719.78 |
| Baltimore area, MDMaryland | — | $757.12 |
| Rest of MarylandMaryland | — | $713.67 |
| Rest of MaineMaine | — | $660.93 |
| Southern Maine, MEMaine | — | $683.53 |
| Detroit, MIMichigan | — | $750.19 |
| Rest of MichiganMichigan | — | $694.67 |
| MinnesotaMinnesota | — | $671.56 |
| Metropolitan Kansas City, MOMissouri | — | $691.95 |
| Metropolitan St. Louis, MOMissouri | — | $697.74 |
| Rest of MissouriMissouri | — | $667.92 |
| MississippiMississippi | — | $650.97 |
| MontanaMontana | — | $712.30 |
| North CarolinaNorth Carolina | — | $666.16 |
| North DakotaNorth Dakota | — | $670.38 |
| NebraskaNebraska | — | $644.58 |
| New HampshireNew Hampshire | — | $716.27 |
| Northern New JerseyNew Jersey | — | $787.68 |
| Rest of New JerseyNew Jersey | — | $761.06 |
| NevadaNevada | — | $700.93 |
| NYC suburbs and Long Island, NYNew York | — | $852.85 |
| Poughkeepsie and northern NYC suburbs, NYNew York | — | $771.65 |
| Queens, NYNew York | — | $821.30 |
| Rest of New YorkNew York | — | $675.95 |
| OhioOhio | — | $686.10 |
| OklahomaOklahoma | — | $663.56 |
| Portland, OROregon | — | $733.96 |
| Rest of OregonOregon | — | $690.17 |
| Metropolitan Philadelphia, PAPennsylvania | — | $744.77 |
| Rest of PennsylvaniaPennsylvania | — | $683.18 |
| Puerto RicoPuerto Rico | — | $714.78 |
| Rhode IslandRhode Island | — | $721.31 |
| South CarolinaSouth Carolina | — | $678.31 |
| South DakotaSouth Dakota | — | $665.42 |
| TennesseeTennessee | — | $651.51 |
| Austin, TXTexas | — | $722.97 |
| Beaumont, TXTexas | — | $679.58 |
| Brazoria, TXTexas | — | $696.74 |
| Dallas, TXTexas | — | $704.14 |
| Fort Worth, TXTexas | — | $701.97 |
| Galveston, TXTexas | — | $700.76 |
| Houston, TXTexas | — | $739.56 |
| Rest of TexasTexas | — | $689.80 |
| UtahUtah | — | $686.66 |
| VirginiaVirginia | — | $686.37 |
| Virgin Islands, VIUnited States Virgin Islands | — | $714.78 |
| VermontVermont | — | $674.37 |
| Rest of WashingtonWashington | — | $716.23 |
| King County, WAWashington | — | $786.31 |
| WisconsinWisconsin | — | $650.45 |
| West VirginiaWest Virginia | — | $702.44 |
| WyomingWyoming | — | $694.03 |
29885 rates by state
Office rate range in each state. Select a state to see its payment localities.
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
| State / territory | Office rate range | Localities |
|---|---|---|
| AK | No published base rate | 1 |
| AL | No published base rate | 1 |
| AR | No published base rate | 1 |
| AZ | No published base rate | 1 |
| CA | No published base rate | 29 |
| CO | No published base rate | 1 |
| CT | No published base rate | 1 |
| DC | No published base rate | 1 |
| DE | No published base rate | 1 |
| FL | No published base rate | 3 |
| GA | No published base rate | 2 |
| GU | No published base rate | 1 |
| HI | No published base rate | 1 |
| IA | No published base rate | 1 |
| ID | No published base rate | 1 |
| IL | No published base rate | 4 |
| IN | No published base rate | 1 |
| KS | No published base rate | 1 |
| KY | No published base rate | 1 |
| LA | No published base rate | 2 |
| MA | No published base rate | 2 |
| MD | No published base rate | 3 |
| ME | No published base rate | 2 |
| MI | No published base rate | 2 |
| MN | No published base rate | 1 |
| MO | No published base rate | 3 |
| MS | No published base rate | 1 |
| MT | No published base rate | 1 |
| NC | No published base rate | 1 |
| ND | No published base rate | 1 |
| NE | No published base rate | 1 |
| NH | No published base rate | 1 |
| NJ | No published base rate | 2 |
| NM | No published base rate | 1 |
| NV | No published base rate | 1 |
| NY | No published base rate | 5 |
| OH | No published base rate | 1 |
| OK | No published base rate | 1 |
| OR | No published base rate | 2 |
| PA | No published base rate | 2 |
| PR | No published base rate | 1 |
| RI | No published base rate | 1 |
| SC | No published base rate | 1 |
| SD | No published base rate | 1 |
| TN | No published base rate | 1 |
| TX | No published base rate | 8 |
| UT | No published base rate | 1 |
| VA | No published base rate | 2 |
| VI | No published base rate | 1 |
| VT | No published base rate | 1 |
| WA | No published base rate | 2 |
| WI | No published base rate | 1 |
| WV | No published base rate | 1 |
| WY | No published base rate | 1 |
How the 29885 rate is calculated
Each of 29885’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 · 29885
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work9.95
9.95 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense9.26
9.26 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice2.12
2.12 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
21.3300
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$712.44
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
The exact New Mexico inputs and CMS source lines
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
3,366
- Code
- 29885
- Physician work
- 9.95
- Practice expense
- 9.26
- Malpractice
- 2.12
GPCI2026.csv
77
- Locality
- New Mexico
- Physician work
- 1.000
- Practice expense
- 0.917
- Malpractice
- 1.201
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 9.95 | × 1.000 | 9.9500 |
| Practice expense | 9.26 | × 0.917 | 8.4914 |
| Malpractice | 2.12 | × 1.201 | 2.5461 |
| Total RVUs | 20.9875 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Facility rate, New Mexico$701.00
Facility: (9.95 × 1 + 9.26 × 0.917 + 2.12 × 1.201) × $33.4009 = $701.00
Payment rules and modifiers for 29885
29885 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 29885
Knee arthroscopy, intact OCD lesion drilling
| 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) | 2 | Paid. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| 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 · 29885
Knee arthroscopy, intact OCD lesion drilling
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
29885 without 50 · national facility
$712.44
Knee arthroscopy, intact OCD lesion drilling
29885-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$1,068.66
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).
How 29885 has changed in New Mexico
29885 · Office / nonfacility
Rate unavailable
Effective 2026-10-01
A rate is unavailable in one of these releases, so a change cannot be calculated.
One bar per available release, ordered by effective date. Missing rates remain gaps. These comparisons hold the code, setting and locality identifiers constant; they do not isolate which policy or input caused a change.
What changed, release by release
| Effective from | Office | Facility | CMS release |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $701.00 | RVU26D |
| 2026-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $701.00 | RVU26C |
| 2026-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $701.00 | RVU26B |
| 2026-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $701.00 | RVU26A |
| 2025-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $730.30 | RVU25D |
| 2025-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $730.30 | RVU25C |
| 2025-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $730.30 | RVU25B |
| 2025-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $730.30 | RVU25A |
| 2024-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $744.99 | RVU24D |
| 2024-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $744.99 | RVU24C |
| 2024-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $744.99 | RVU24B |
| 2024-03-09 | Not available in this setting | $744.99 | RVU24AR |
| 2024-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $732.83 | RVU24A |
| 2023-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $748.45 | RVU23D |
| 2023-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $748.45 | RVU23C |
| 2023-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $748.45 | RVU23B |
| 2023-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $748.45 | RVU23A |
| 2022-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $753.81 | RVU22D |
| 2022-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $753.81 | RVU22C |
| 2022-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $753.81 | RVU22B |
| 2022-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $753.81 | RVU22A |
| 2021-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $754.09 | RVU21D |
| 2021-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $754.09 | RVU21C |
| 2021-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $754.09 | RVU21B |
| 2021-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $754.09 | RVU21A |
| 2020-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $769.09 | RVU20D |
| 2020-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $769.09 | RVU20C |
| 2020-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $769.09 | RVU20B |
| 2020-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $769.09 | RVU20A |
| 2019-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $776.33 | RVU19D |
| 2019-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $776.33 | RVU19C |
| 2019-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $760.60 | RVU19B |
| 2019-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $760.60 | RVU19A |
| 2018-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $774.58 | RVU18D |
| 2018-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $774.58 | RVU18C |
| 2018-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $774.58 | RVU18B |
| 2018-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $774.58 | RVU18AR1 |
| 2017-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $759.37 | RVU17D |
| 2017-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $759.37 | RVU17C |
| 2017-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $759.37 | RVU17B |
| 2017-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $759.37 | RVU17A |
| 2016-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $759.42 | RVU16D |
| 2016-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $759.42 | RVU16C |
| 2016-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $759.42 | RVU16B |
| 2016-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $759.42 | RVU16A |
| 2015-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $766.24 | RVU15D |
| 2015-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $766.24 | RVU15C |
| 2015-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $762.43 | RVU15B |
| 2015-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $762.43 | RVU15A |
| 2014-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $746.73 | RVU14D |
| 2014-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $746.73 | RVU14C |
| 2014-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $746.73 | RVU14B |
| 2014-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $746.73 | RVU14A |
| 2013-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $732.17 | RVU13D |
| 2013-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $732.17 | RVU13C |
| 2013-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $732.17 | RVU13B |
| 2013-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $732.17 | RVU13AR |
Where the New Mexico rate applies
New Mexico is a Medicare payment area, not a city. Our Census mapping connects it to 528 cities and communities in New Mexico. Some span more than one payment area; confirm with the service ZIP.
- Abeytas
- Abiquiu
- Acomita Lake
- Adelino
- Agua Fria
- Alamillo
- Alamo
- Alamogordo
29885 billing questions
When should 29885 be selected instead of 29886?
Use 29885 when the surgeon documents drilling of an intact OCD lesion. Code 29886 is the related drilling code for an OCD lesion not specified as intact.
How does 29885 differ from 29887?
29885 describes drilling an intact lesion without internal fixation. Use 29887 when drilling is performed with internal fixation.
What documentation supports 29885?
The operative report should identify the OCD lesion as intact and describe arthroscopic drilling. Documenting whether the lesion was fixed helps distinguish this service from related codes.
How are bilateral procedures and surgical assistance handled?
CMS pays bilateral procedures reported with modifier 50 at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and 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
Fee sheets · Coming soon
Put 29885 and the rest of your codes on one sheet
Your codes at your locality, with payer contracts beside Medicare.
Join the waitlist