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Billing code 24344: Elbow ligament surgeryMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports tendon-graft reconstruction of the elbow’s lateral ligament when instability requires reconstruction rather than repair of existing tissue.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities73 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $1,030.42 for 24344 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 24344

Elbow ligament surgery

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
14.83
Total RVUs
30.85
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$1,030.42

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 24344 → · 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 24344 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 24344 covers

An orthopedic or upper-extremity surgeon reconstructs the elbow’s lateral ligament using a tendon graft to restore stability. This is used for ligament insufficiency, including chronic instability such as posterolateral rotatory instability, when the existing tissue is not suitable for direct repair. The procedure is generally performed in an operating room, often in a facility setting.

Report 24344 for the graft-based reconstruction, not a repair using local tissue. The operative report should identify the lateral ligament problem, the instability being treated, and the reconstruction performed with a tendon graft. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery services may be paid; co-surgeons are paid only with 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 24344 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

24344 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$930.92
Alaska*Unavailable$1,258.61
ArizonaUnavailable$1,001.90
ArkansasUnavailable$918.66
AtlantaUnavailable$1,059.99
AustinUnavailable$1,044.29
BakersfieldUnavailable$1,039.80
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$1,094.71
BeaumontUnavailable$984.27
BrazoriaUnavailable$1,007.29

24344 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
24344 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 24344 rate is calculated

Each of 24344’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 · 24344

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 14.83Practice expense 12.86Malpractice 3.16

30.8500 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$1,030.42

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 24344

24344 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 24344

Elbow ligament surgery

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 · 24344

Elbow ligament surgery

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

24344 without 50 · national facility

$1,030.42

Elbow ligament surgery

24344-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$1,545.63

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

24344 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

24344 vs 24343 vs 24345 vs 24346: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 24344
    Elbow ligament surgery · 14.83 wRVU
    —
  • 24343
    Elbow ligament repair · 8.93 wRVU
    —
  • 24345
    Ligament repair · 8.93 wRVU
    —
  • 24346
    Elbow ligament reconstruction · 14.83 wRVU
    —

How to choose

24343Elbow ligament repair
Choose 24343 when the surgeon repairs the lateral ligament using local tissue. Choose 24344 when the surgeon performs a tendon-graft reconstruction.
24345Ligament repair
This code addresses repair of the medial elbow ligament using tissue; 24344 is for tendon-graft reconstruction of the lateral ligament.
24346Elbow ligament reconstruction
24346 is tendon-graft reconstruction of the medial elbow ligament. Use 24344 for reconstruction of the lateral ligament.

Codes related to 24344

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

Codes related to 24344
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
24343Elbow ligament repairRepairs the lateral ligament with local tissue rather than reconstructing it with a tendon graft.No office rate
Same family
24346Elbow ligament reconstructionReconstructs the medial elbow ligament with a tendon graft.No office rate
24345Ligament repairRepairs the medial elbow ligament using tissue rather than a tendon-graft reconstruction.No office rate

24344 billing questions

How is 24344 different from 24343?

24344 is for reconstruction of the lateral ligament with a tendon graft. 24343 describes repair of the lateral ligament using local tissue.

What documentation supports reporting 24344?

Document the lateral ligament deficiency and instability, why reconstruction is performed, and the tendon-graft reconstruction technique. The operative note should distinguish reconstruction from repair of existing tissue.

Is related postoperative care separately reported during the global period?

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

How does Medicare handle 24344 when other procedures are performed in the same session?

Under the standard multiple procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are paid at 50%.

Can 24344 be reported bilaterally?

For bilateral reporting with modifier 50, CMS pays 150%.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Assistant-at-surgery services may be paid. Co-surgeons are paid only with 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
RVUs for 24344PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,304 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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