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Billing code 24006: Elbow releaseMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports open elbow-joint surgery that removes or releases contracted capsule, commonly to address stiffness and restricted motion.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities207 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $664.34 for 24006 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 24006

Elbow release

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
9.5
Total RVUs
19.89
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$664.34

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 24006 → · 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 24006 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 24006 covers

The surgeon opens the elbow joint and excises or releases contracted joint capsule to improve restricted motion, such as in an elbow contracture. An orthopedic surgeon typically performs this operation in an operating room. The service is distinct from opening the joint for exploration, drainage, or foreign-body removal, and from closed manipulation without an open capsular release.

Select the code when the operative report documents an elbow arthrotomy with capsular excision or release; a diagnosis of stiffness alone does not describe the work performed. The capsular work is part of this service, rather than a separate report of the same release. 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 the others at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment and co-surgeons are permitted; 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 24006 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

24006 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$601.05
Alaska*Unavailable$812.42
ArizonaUnavailable$646.30
ArkansasUnavailable$593.24
AtlantaUnavailable$682.77
AustinUnavailable$674.02
BakersfieldUnavailable$672.29
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$705.33
BeaumontUnavailable$634.34
BrazoriaUnavailable$650.16

24006 rates by state

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

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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
24006 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 24006 rate is calculated

Each of 24006’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 · 24006

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 9.50Practice expense 8.46Malpractice 1.93

19.8900 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$664.34

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 24006

24006 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 24006

Elbow release

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)2Permitted.
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 · 24006

Elbow release

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

24006 without 50 · national facility

$664.34

Elbow release

24006-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$996.51

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

24006 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

24006 vs 24000 vs 24102 vs 24300: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 24006
    Elbow release · 9.5 wRVU
    —
  • 24000
    Elbow arthrotomy · 5.93 wRVU
    —
  • 24102
    Elbow synovectomy · 8.05 wRVU
    —
  • 24300
    Elbow manipulation · 3.94 wRVU
    —

How to choose

24000Elbow arthrotomy
Choose 24006 when the operation includes elbow capsular excision or release. Choose 24000 when the arthrotomy is for exploration, drainage, or foreign-body removal.
24102Elbow synovectomy
Code 24102 is for elbow arthrotomy with synovectomy. Code 24006 addresses capsular excision or release, commonly for contracture.
24300Elbow manipulation
Code 24300 describes manipulation of the elbow under anesthesia. Code 24006 requires an open arthrotomy with capsular work.

Codes related to 24006

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

Codes related to 24006
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
24000Elbow arthrotomyElbow arthrotomy for exploration, drainage, or foreign-body removal rather than capsular release.No office rate
24102Elbow synovectomyElbow arthrotomy with synovectomy when removal of synovial tissue is the operative objective.No office rate
24300Elbow manipulationElbow manipulation under anesthesia without the open capsular excision or release described by 24006.No office rate

24006 billing questions

How is this different from code 24000?

Use 24006 for an open elbow capsular excision or release, commonly addressing contracture. Code 24000 describes elbow arthrotomy for exploration, drainage, or foreign-body removal.

Is the capsular release separately reportable?

The excision or release of the capsule is included in 24006. The operative report should establish that this work was performed, rather than documenting only an elbow arthrotomy.

Can modifier 50 be used for both elbows?

CMS identifies this as a bilateral procedure; when both elbows are treated, bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%.

How does 24006 differ from manipulation under anesthesia?

Code 24006 involves an open arthrotomy with capsular excision or release. Code 24300 describes elbow manipulation under anesthesia, not an open capsular release.

What postoperative care is included?

The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.

May an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

CMS permits assistant-at-surgery payment and co-surgeons for this code. 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
RVUs for 24006PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,257 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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