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Billing code 24359: Elbow tendon repairMedicare rate & RVUs

Open surgery for elbow tendinopathy that removes diseased tissue and repairs the common extensor or flexor tendon origin.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities2.2K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $616.91 for 24359 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 24359

Elbow tendon repair

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
8.76
Total RVUs
18.47
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$616.91

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 24359 → · 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 24359 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 24359 covers

This service treats chronic lateral or medial elbow tendinopathy, commonly called tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow. The surgeon opens the affected area, removes abnormal tissue at the tendon origin, and repairs the common extensor or flexor tendon attachment. Orthopedic surgeons typically perform it in an operating room, with the operative report identifying the side, affected tendon origin, debridement, and repair performed.

Report this code when the open procedure includes both debridement and repair of the tendon origin; the debridement and repair are represented together. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in one 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 requires documentation of medical necessity; co-surgeons and team surgery are 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 24359 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

24359 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$558.42
Alaska*Unavailable$754.42
ArizonaUnavailable$600.29
ArkansasUnavailable$551.19
AtlantaUnavailable$633.73
AustinUnavailable$626.31
BakersfieldUnavailable$625.31
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$654.80
BeaumontUnavailable$588.83
BrazoriaUnavailable$604.07

24359 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
24359 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 24359 rate is calculated

Each of 24359’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 · 24359

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 8.76Practice expense 7.97Malpractice 1.74

18.4700 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$616.91

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 24359

24359 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 24359

Elbow tendon repair

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)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 · 24359

Elbow tendon repair

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

24359 without 50 · national facility

$616.91

Elbow tendon repair

24359-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$925.37

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

24359 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

24359 vs 24357 vs 24358 vs 24341 vs 24342: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 24359
    Elbow tendon repair · 8.76 wRVU
    —
  • 24357
    Elbow tenotomy · 5.3 wRVU
    —
  • 24358
    Elbow tenotomy · 6.49 wRVU
    —
  • 24341
    Tendon/muscle repair · 9.25 wRVU
    —
  • 24342
    Tendon repair · 10.59 wRVU
    —

How to choose

24357Elbow tenotomy
24357 uses a percutaneous approach. This code describes open surgery that includes debridement and repair of the common tendon origin.
24358Elbow tenotomy
Both involve an open elbow tendon procedure, but this code includes repair of the common extensor or flexor tendon origin in addition to debridement.
24341Tendon/muscle repair
24341 is for repair of a tendon or muscle at the upper arm or elbow. This code is specific to open debridement and repair at a common extensor or flexor tendon origin.
24342Tendon repair
24342 addresses repair of a ruptured distal biceps tendon. It is not the code for debridement and repair of an epicondylar tendon origin.

Codes related to 24359

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

Codes related to 24359
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
24357Elbow tenotomyPercutaneous elbow tendon procedure, rather than the open debridement and repair approach.No office rate
24358Elbow tenotomyOpen elbow tendon debridement without the tendon-origin repair included here.No office rate
Used instead
24341Tendon/muscle repairFor a separately defined tendon or muscle repair at the upper arm or elbow, rather than epicondylar-origin surgery.No office rate

24359 billing questions

How does this differ from 24358?

This code includes repair of the common extensor or flexor tendon origin after debridement. Use 24358 when the open procedure includes debridement but not that repair.

When is 24357 a better fit?

24357 describes a percutaneous approach. This code is for open surgery that includes debridement and repair of the tendon origin.

Can debridement and tendon-origin repair be billed separately?

No. The debridement and repair are included together in this service; the operative report should support both components.

What documentation supports reporting this code?

Document the elbow and side, the affected common extensor or flexor tendon origin, the open approach, the debridement, and the repair performed.

How are bilateral procedures and other same-session procedures handled?

Modifier 50 applies to bilateral reporting, which CMS pays at 150%. When multiple procedures are performed in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others are subject to the standard 50% reduction.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity. Co-surgeons and team surgery are 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 24359PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,309 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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