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Billing code 24515: Humeral shaft fixationMedicare rate & RVUs

Report this service for open operative fixation of a humeral shaft fracture using a plate-and-screw construct rather than closed treatment or intramedullary fixation.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities5K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $822.33 for 24515 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 24515

Humeral shaft fixation

Work RVUs
11.82
Total RVUs
24.62
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$822.33

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 24515 →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 24515 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 24515 covers

This service covers open reduction and fixation of a fracture through the shaft of the humerus using a plate-and-screw construct. An orthopedic surgeon typically performs it in an operating room, most often for a displaced or unstable shaft fracture requiring direct exposure and internal stabilization. The operative report should identify the fracture location, the open reduction, and the fixation method used.

Report the code for the plate-and-screw approach, not for closed fracture management or treatment with an intramedullary implant. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. For bilateral services reported with modifier 50, CMS pays at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; 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 24515 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

24515 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$743.40
Alaska*Unavailable$1,005.11
ArizonaUnavailable$799.75
ArkansasUnavailable$733.67
AtlantaUnavailable$845.62
AustinUnavailable$833.73
BakersfieldUnavailable$830.70
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$873.39
BeaumontUnavailable$785.42
BrazoriaUnavailable$804.23

24515 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
24515 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 24515 rate is calculated

Each of 24515’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 · 24515

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Work11.82

11.82 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense10.33

10.33 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice2.47

2.47 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

24.6200

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$822.33

Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 24515

24515 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 24515

Humeral shaft fixation

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 · 24515

Humeral shaft fixation

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.

  • 24Unrelated E/M visit by the same physician
  • 79Unrelated procedure (starts its own global period)
  • 58Staged, more extensive, or therapy procedure that was planned
  • 78Unplanned 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

24515 without 50 · national facility

$822.33

Humeral shaft fixation

24515-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$1,233.50

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

24515 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

5 codes, side by side

  • 24515

    Humeral shaft fixation11.82 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 24516

    Fracture fixation11.89 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 24500

    Fracture treatment3.32 wRVU

    $415.17

  • 24505

    Fracture treatment5.26 wRVU

    $582.18

  • 24545

    Humerus fracture repair12.82 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

24516Fracture fixation
Choose 24515 for open plate-and-screw fixation; choose 24516 when treatment uses an intramedullary implant.
24500Fracture treatment
Code 24500 is for closed treatment of a humeral shaft fracture without manipulation, not open plate fixation.
24505Fracture treatment
Code 24505 describes closed treatment with manipulation; 24515 involves open reduction and plate-and-screw fixation.
24545Humerus fracture repair
Code 24545 concerns an extra-articular distal humerus fracture, not a fracture through the humeral shaft.

Codes related to 24515

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

Codes related to 24515
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
24516Fracture fixationTreats a humeral shaft fracture with an intramedullary implant rather than plate-and-screw fixation.No office rate
24500Fracture treatmentClosed treatment of a humeral shaft fracture without manipulation.$364.23–$540.68
24505Fracture treatmentClosed treatment of a humeral shaft fracture with manipulation.$511.19–$745.16

24515 billing questions

How does this differ from code 24516?

Code 24515 represents open fixation with a plate-and-screw construct. Code 24516 is for treatment using an intramedullary implant.

Can routine fracture follow-up be billed separately?

Related postoperative care during the 90-day global period is included. The operative service also includes the day-before preoperative visit.

How is a bilateral procedure handled?

When the procedure is performed bilaterally and reported with modifier 50, CMS pays at 150%.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; team surgery is not permitted.

What documentation supports choosing this code?

Document that the fracture involves the humeral shaft, that open reduction was performed, and that a plate-and-screw construct was used.

What happens when another procedure is performed in the same session?

The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple procedure reduction.

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 24515PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,328 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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