CPT code 29889: PCL surgery, arthroscopically aided2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in California
Reports arthroscopically aided repair, augmentation, or reconstruction of the posterior cruciate ligament to address injury-related knee instability.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 29889 in California.
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 29889 covers
An orthopedic surgeon uses arthroscopic visualization to repair or reinforce an injured posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), or reconstruct it when the ligament cannot provide adequate stability. The procedure is typically performed in an operating room for a patient with a PCL injury and persistent knee instability. Arthroscopic assistance means the surgeon uses a scope and instruments through portals while performing the ligament work.
Report this code for the PCL procedure, not for anterior cruciate ligament work or meniscal treatment alone. The operative report should identify the PCL as the treated structure and describe the arthroscopic repair, augmentation, or reconstruction. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Bilateral reporting with 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.
Where 29889 pays more and less in California
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
29 of 29 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield, CA | Unavailable | $1,138.62 |
| Chico, CA | Unavailable | $1,128.69 |
| El Centro, CA | Unavailable | $1,129.29 |
| Fresno, CA | Unavailable | $1,128.69 |
| Hanford, CA | Unavailable | $1,128.69 |
| Los Angeles, CA | Unavailable | $1,196.43 |
| Madera, CA | Unavailable | $1,128.69 |
| Marin County, CA | Unavailable | $1,303.31 |
| Merced, CA | Unavailable | $1,128.69 |
| Modesto, CA | Unavailable | $1,128.69 |
| Napa, CA | Unavailable | $1,250.15 |
| Oxnard, CA | Unavailable | $1,183.68 |
| Redding, CA | Unavailable | $1,128.69 |
| Rest of California | Unavailable | $1,128.69 |
| Riverside, CA | Unavailable | $1,167.48 |
| Sacramento, CA | Unavailable | $1,169.27 |
| Salinas, CA | Unavailable | $1,164.65 |
| San Benito County, CA | Unavailable | $1,335.34 |
| San Diego, CA | Unavailable | $1,181.27 |
| San Francisco, CA | Unavailable | $1,299.21 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | Unavailable | $1,147.82 |
| Santa Clara County, CA | Unavailable | $1,318.58 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | Unavailable | $1,183.90 |
| Santa Maria, CA | Unavailable | $1,166.07 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | Unavailable | $1,194.78 |
| Stockton, CA | Unavailable | $1,128.69 |
| Vallejo, CA | Unavailable | $1,244.25 |
| Visalia, CA | Unavailable | $1,128.69 |
| Yuba City, CA | Unavailable | $1,128.69 |
How the 29889 rate is calculated
Each of 29889’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 · 29889
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work16.97
16.97 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense13.32
13.32 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice3.61
3.61 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
33.9000
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$1,132.29
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 29889
29889 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 29889
PCL surgery, arthroscopically aided
| 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 | 2 | Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%. |
| 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 · 29889
PCL surgery, arthroscopically aided
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
29889 without 50 · national facility
$1,132.29
PCL surgery, arthroscopically aided
29889-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$1,698.44
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).
29889 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 29888ACL surgeryArthroscopically assisted
- Use 29889 for arthroscopically aided PCL repair, augmentation, or reconstruction; use 29888 when the treated cruciate ligament is the ACL.
- 29882Meniscus repairMedial or lateral
- Code 29882 reports arthroscopic repair of one meniscus, not repair or reconstruction of the PCL.
- 29883Meniscus repairMedial and lateral
- Code 29883 reports arthroscopic repair of both menisci. It does not describe PCL ligament surgery.
29889 billing questions
How is this code different from 29888?
This code is for arthroscopically aided work on the posterior cruciate ligament. Code 29888 is for the corresponding procedure on the anterior cruciate ligament.
Does this code include the arthroscopic access and visualization?
The code describes an arthroscopically aided PCL procedure. Do not report a separate diagnostic arthroscopy for routine visualization of the same knee during that procedure.
Can meniscal surgery be reported during the same session?
A separately performed meniscal repair or meniscectomy may be reported when documented as distinct treatment of a meniscal condition. Same-session multiple procedures are subject to Medicare's multiple procedure reduction.
How should bilateral PCL procedures be reported?
For procedures performed on both knees, report modifier 50; CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.
What documentation supports reporting this code?
Document the PCL injury and the arthroscopically aided repair, augmentation, or reconstruction performed. The operative report should distinguish PCL treatment from ACL or meniscal work.
How are assistant and co-surgeon claims handled?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; 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
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