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Billing code 23552: AC joint reconstructionMedicare rate & RVUs

Open reconstruction of an acromioclavicular separation using a graft, reported when operative treatment addresses an acute or chronic dislocation.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities371 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $612.24 for 23552 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 23552

AC joint reconstruction

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
8.6
Total RVUs
18.33
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$612.24

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 23552 → · Billed by an NP, PA or therapist? →

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 10 sections
  1. Medicare rate
  2. What 23552 covers
  3. By payment locality
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Similar codes
  8. Related codes
  9. Billing questions
  10. Sources

What 23552 covers

An orthopedic surgeon uses an open approach to reduce and reconstruct a dislocated acromioclavicular joint with a graft. The procedure may be performed for an acute separation or a chronic separation requiring operative reconstruction; the graft helps restore support across the joint. The code applies to the acromioclavicular joint, where the clavicle meets the acromion, not the sternoclavicular joint or a clavicle fracture.

Report this code when the operative record supports open treatment of the acromioclavicular dislocation and graft use. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. For bilateral treatment, 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 23552 pays more and less

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

109 of 109 payment localities

23552 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$554.17
Alaska*Unavailable$747.97
ArizonaUnavailable$595.79
ArkansasUnavailable$547.00
AtlantaUnavailable$628.74
AustinUnavailable$621.95
BakersfieldUnavailable$621.41
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$649.82
BeaumontUnavailable$584.06
BrazoriaUnavailable$599.70

23552 rates by state

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

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

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Local rates. Clear comparisons.

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View every state and territory as a table
23552 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AKNo published base rate1
ALNo published base rate1
ARNo published base rate1
AZNo published base rate1
CANo published base rate29
CONo published base rate1
CTNo published base rate1
DCNo published base rate1
DENo published base rate1
FLNo published base rate3
GANo published base rate2
GUNo published base rate1
HINo published base rate1
IANo published base rate1
IDNo published base rate1
ILNo published base rate4
INNo published base rate1
KSNo published base rate1
KYNo published base rate1
LANo published base rate2
MANo published base rate2
MDNo published base rate3
MENo published base rate2
MINo published base rate2
MNNo published base rate1
MONo published base rate3
MSNo published base rate1
MTNo published base rate1
NCNo published base rate1
NDNo published base rate1
NENo published base rate1
NHNo published base rate1
NJNo published base rate2
NMNo published base rate1
NVNo published base rate1
NYNo published base rate5
OHNo published base rate1
OKNo published base rate1
ORNo published base rate2
PANo published base rate2
PRNo published base rate1
RINo published base rate1
SCNo published base rate1
SDNo published base rate1
TNNo published base rate1
TXNo published base rate8
UTNo published base rate1
VANo published base rate2
VINo published base rate1
VTNo published base rate1
WANo published base rate2
WINo published base rate1
WVNo published base rate1
WYNo published base rate1

How the 23552 rate is calculated

Each of 23552’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 · 23552

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 8.60Practice expense 8.04Malpractice 1.69

18.3300 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$612.24

All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 23552

23552 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 23552

AC joint reconstruction

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period090Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included.
Multiple procedures2Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%.
Bilateral (modifier 50)1Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)2Paid.
Co-surgeons (62)1Permitted with supporting documentation.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.10/0.69/0.21Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 23552

AC joint reconstruction

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.

  • 24 Unrelated E/M visit by the same physician
  • 79 Unrelated procedure (starts its own global period)
  • 58 Staged, more extensive, or therapy procedure that was planned
  • 78 Unplanned return to the operating room for a related complication
SurgeryVisit
Sep 23, 2026Jan 10, 2027

Pre-op dayGlobal period

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 50 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

23552 without 50 · national facility

$612.24

AC joint reconstruction

23552-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$918.36

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).

When to use modifier 50

23552 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

23552 vs 23550 vs 23545 vs 23532: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 23552
    AC joint reconstruction · 8.6 wRVU
    —
  • 23550
    AC joint repair · 7.4 wRVU
    —
  • 23545
    AC joint treatment · 3.34 wRVU
    $502.02
  • 23532
    Joint reconstruction · 8 wRVU
    —

How to choose

23550AC joint repair
Choose 23552 when the open acromioclavicular reconstruction uses a graft. Choose 23550 for open treatment without a graft.
23545AC joint treatment
This code describes open graft reconstruction; 23545 is closed treatment of an acromioclavicular dislocation with manipulation.
23532Joint reconstruction
Both involve graft-assisted open treatment of a dislocation, but 23532 addresses the sternoclavicular joint; this code addresses the acromioclavicular joint.

Codes related to 23552

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

Codes related to 23552
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
23550AC joint repairOpen treatment of an acromioclavicular dislocation without graft reconstruction.No office rate
Used instead
23545AC joint treatmentClosed treatment of an acromioclavicular dislocation when manipulation is performed.$437.42–$661.75
23540AC joint dislocationClosed treatment of an acromioclavicular dislocation without manipulation.$242.77–$358.47
23532Joint reconstructionGraft-assisted open treatment applies to a sternoclavicular, rather than acromioclavicular, dislocation.No office rate
23530Joint dislocation surgeryOpen treatment of a sternoclavicular dislocation without the graft distinction.No office rate

23552 billing questions

How is this code different from 23550?

Both describe open treatment of an acromioclavicular dislocation. Use 23552 when the operative treatment includes a graft; 23550 is the related option without a graft.

Does the code include harvesting the graft?

The graft reconstruction is part of the service. Document the graft used and the open treatment performed; do not assume a separately reportable harvest service from the graft use alone.

When should 23545 be considered instead?

23545 is for closed treatment of an acromioclavicular dislocation with manipulation. This code is for open treatment with graft reconstruction.

What does the 90-day global period include?

It includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.

Can this be reported for both shoulders?

For bilateral treatment, CMS pays the procedure with modifier 50 at 150%. The operative documentation should support treatment of both sides.

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
RVUs for 23552PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,228 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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