CPT code 29886: Knee arthroscopy, osteochondral lesion drilling2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Reports arthroscopic drilling of an osteochondral lesion in the knee to stimulate healing, when the documented procedure matches this lesion-specific code.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 29886 in Texas.
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
On this page 9 sections
What 29886 covers
An orthopedic surgeon performs this procedure through a knee arthroscope, using instruments to drill into a focal osteochondral lesion. The drilling is intended to stimulate a healing response in the affected area. It is typically performed in an operating room for a patient with a symptomatic lesion identified through clinical evaluation and imaging, then assessed during arthroscopy. The operative report should identify the lesion and site, describe the drilling performed, and document any fixation or other treatment undertaken.
Choose this code when the documented arthroscopic work matches drilling for an osteochondral lesion; distinguish it from codes for osteochondritis dissecans drilling and drilling with fixation. This is a major surgery code with 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%. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery, and 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 29886 pays more and less in Texas
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
8 of 8 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Austin, TX | Unavailable | $614.38 |
| Beaumont, TX | Unavailable | $576.46 |
| Brazoria, TX | Unavailable | $591.74 |
| Dallas, TX | Unavailable | $597.95 |
| Fort Worth, TX | Unavailable | $596.02 |
| Galveston, TX | Unavailable | $595.10 |
| Houston, TX | Unavailable | $627.32 |
| Rest of Texas | Unavailable | $585.44 |
How the 29886 rate is calculated
Each of 29886’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 · 29886
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work8.28
8.28 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense8.07
8.07 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.76
1.76 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
18.1100
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$604.89
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 29886
29886 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 29886
Knee arthroscopy, osteochondral 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) | 1 | Not paid (statutory restriction). |
| 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 · 29886
Knee arthroscopy, osteochondral 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
29886 without 50 · national facility
$604.89
Knee arthroscopy, osteochondral lesion drilling
29886-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$907.34
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).
29886 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 29885Knee arthroscopyIntact OCD lesion drilling
- Use 29885 for drilling for osteochondritis dissecans. Code 29886 is associated with drilling for an osteochondral lesion; follow the documented lesion and procedure.
- 29887OCD lesion fixationIntact lesion with fixation
- Code 29887 is associated with drilling an osteochondral defect with fixation. Code 29886 describes osteochondral lesion drilling; the operative report should establish whether fixation was performed.
- 29879Arthroscopic cartilage procedureAbrasion or microfracture
- Code 29879 describes arthroscopic abrasion arthroplasty, a different cartilage-treatment technique. Select according to the procedure actually performed, not simply the presence of a cartilage lesion.
29886 billing questions
How does this code differ from 29885?
Code 29886 is identified with drilling for an osteochondral lesion. Code 29885 is the neighboring code for drilling for osteochondritis dissecans; choose based on the lesion and procedure documented.
When would 29887 be considered instead?
Consider 29887 when the operative documentation supports drilling of an osteochondral defect with fixation. The documentation should make clear whether fixation was performed.
What documentation supports reporting 29886?
Document the knee and lesion site, the arthroscopic findings, and the drilling performed. Include the operative technique and any fixation or additional treatment.
How is bilateral treatment reported?
For a bilateral procedure, report modifier 50; CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be paid for this procedure?
CMS does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
What postoperative care is included?
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
Show the CMS file lines behind this rate
Fee sheets · Coming soon
Put 29886 and the rest of your codes on one sheet
Your codes at your locality, with payer contracts beside Medicare.
Join the waitlist