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Billing code 24310: Open tenotomyMedicare rate & RVUs

Open tenotomy from the elbow to shoulder is reported for each tendon surgically divided to release it, rather than lengthen, transfer, or repair it.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities135 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $442.23 for 24310 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 24310

Open tenotomy

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
5.97
Total RVUs
13.24
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$442.23

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 24310 → · 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 24310 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 24310 covers

The surgeon exposes and divides a tendon in the region from the elbow to the shoulder through an open approach. Orthopedic surgeons typically perform this operation in a hospital or ambulatory surgery setting when the planned treatment calls for releasing a tendon, rather than repairing or transferring it. The operative report should identify the tendon and document the open division performed and its clinical purpose.

Report the service for each tendon treated; documentation should support the number of tendons released. This major surgery has 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 multiple procedure reduction. An assistant at surgery is paid only when medical necessity is documented. CMS does not permit co-surgeons or team surgery for this service.

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 24310 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

24310 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$400.01
Alaska*Unavailable$537.97
ArizonaUnavailable$430.36
ArkansasUnavailable$394.78
AtlantaUnavailable$453.82
AustinUnavailable$450.10
BakersfieldUnavailable$450.62
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$469.44
BeaumontUnavailable$421.10
BrazoriaUnavailable$433.53

24310 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
24310 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 24310 rate is calculated

Each of 24310’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 · 24310

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 5.97Practice expense 6.12Malpractice 1.15

13.2400 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$442.23

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 24310

24310 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 24310

Open tenotomy

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)0The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)0Not paid without supporting documentation.
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
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 · 24310

Open tenotomy

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 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

24310 without 51 · national facility

$442.23

Open tenotomy

24310-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$221.12

When this isn’t the highest-valued procedure in the session, Medicare pays 50% of its fee schedule amount (the highest is paid at 100%).

When to use modifier 51

24310 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

24310 vs 24305 vs 24301 vs 24332 vs 24341: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 24310
    Open tenotomy · 5.97 wRVU
    —
  • 24305
    Tendon lengthening · 7.43 wRVU
    —
  • 24301
    Tendon transfer · 10.12 wRVU
    —
  • 24332
    Triceps tenolysis · 7.71 wRVU
    —
  • 24341
    Tendon/muscle repair · 9.25 wRVU
    —

How to choose

24305Tendon lengthening
Choose this code when the tendon is lengthened. Code 24310 describes open division to release a tendon, not lengthening.
24301Tendon transfer
Code 24301 describes a muscle or tendon transfer. Code 24310 is for tendon division without transfer to a new attachment.
24332Triceps tenolysis
Code 24332 is for triceps tenolysis, which releases adhesions around the tendon. Code 24310 describes open division of a tendon.
24341Tendon/muscle repair
Code 24341 describes tendon or muscle repair. Choose 24310 when the operative service is tendon release, not repair.

Codes related to 24310

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

Codes related to 24310
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
24305Tendon lengtheningUsed when the upper-arm tendon procedure lengthens the tendon rather than releasing it.No office rate
24301Tendon transferDescribes moving a muscle or tendon to a new function, not simply dividing a tendon.No office rate
24332Triceps tenolysisAddresses release of adhesions around the triceps tendon rather than open tendon division.No office rate
24341Tendon/muscle repairUsed for repair of an upper-arm tendon or muscle, rather than tendon release.No office rate

24310 billing questions

How is this distinguished from tendon lengthening?

This code describes open division of a tendon in the elbow-to-shoulder region. Use the lengthening code when the procedure actually lengthens the tendon rather than simply releasing it.

How many units should be reported?

The descriptor is per tendon. The operative report should identify each tendon treated and support the number of units billed.

Can tendon transfer be reported instead?

A transfer moves a tendon to a different attachment or function; this service divides a tendon to release it. Select the code that reflects the operation documented.

What postoperative care is included?

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

When is an assistant at surgery payable?

CMS pays an assistant at surgery only when medical necessity is documented.

Can co-surgeons or a surgical team be billed?

CMS does not permit co-surgeons or team surgery for this service.

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 24310PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,295 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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