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Billing code 24538: Humerus fracture fixationMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports percutaneous skeletal fixation of a supracondylar or transcondylar humerus fracture, including fractures with intercondylar extension.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities34 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $751.85 for 24538 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 24538

Humerus fracture fixation

Work RVUs
9.53
Total RVUs
22.51
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$751.85

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 24538 →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 24538 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 24538 covers

An orthopedic surgeon uses this code when stabilizing a supracondylar or transcondylar fracture of the humerus with skeletal fixation placed through the skin. A typical situation is a displaced fracture near the elbow, often in a child, treated with reduction and percutaneous pins under imaging guidance. The fracture may have intercondylar extension; the code is specific to the supracondylar or transcondylar fracture pattern, not an epicondylar fracture.

Report the service based on the documented fracture location and the percutaneous fixation technique. The operative note should identify the fracture pattern and describe the reduction and fixation performed. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during that period. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. For a bilateral procedure reported with modifier 50, payment is 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted; 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 24538 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

24538 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$676.61
Alaska*Unavailable$904.17
ArizonaUnavailable$730.71
ArkansasUnavailable$667.29
AtlantaUnavailable$772.35
AustinUnavailable$765.92
BakersfieldUnavailable$766.34
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$799.77
BeaumontUnavailable$714.13
BrazoriaUnavailable$736.12

24538 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
24538 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 24538 rate is calculated

Each of 24538’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 · 24538

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Work9.53

9.53 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense10.94

10.94 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice2.04

2.04 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

22.5100

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$751.85

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 24538

24538 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 24538

Humerus fracture 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)1Not paid (statutory restriction).
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 · 24538

Humerus fracture 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

24538 without 50 · national facility

$751.85

Humerus fracture fixation

24538-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$1,127.78

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

24538 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

5 codes, side by side

  • 24538

    Humerus fracture fixation9.53 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 24535

    Fracture treatment6.93 wRVU

    $690.06

  • 24545

    Humerus fracture repair12.82 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 24546

    Distal humerus repair14.54 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 24566

    Epicondyle fixation8.83 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

24535Fracture treatment
24535 is closed treatment with manipulation and does not describe percutaneous skeletal fixation. Use 24538 when fixation is placed percutaneously for the supracondylar or transcondylar fracture.
24545Humerus fracture repair
24545 describes open treatment of a supracondylar or transcondylar fracture without intercondylar extension. Code 24538 describes percutaneous skeletal fixation and includes fractures with or without that extension.
24546Distal humerus repair
24546 is open treatment when the fracture has intercondylar extension. Code 24538 applies when the fracture is treated with percutaneous skeletal fixation.
24566Epicondyle fixation
24566 is for percutaneous fixation of an epicondylar humerus fracture. Code 24538 is for a supracondylar or transcondylar fracture.

Codes related to 24538

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

Codes related to 24538
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
24530Humerus fracture careClosed treatment of a supracondylar or transcondylar humerus fracture without manipulation or percutaneous fixation.$381.32–$563.52
24535Fracture treatmentClosed treatment with manipulation, when percutaneous skeletal fixation is not performed.$608.51–$873.74
24545Humerus fracture repairOpen treatment of a supracondylar or transcondylar fracture without intercondylar extension.No office rate
24546Distal humerus repairOpen treatment when the supracondylar or transcondylar fracture has intercondylar extension.No office rate
24566Epicondyle fixationPercutaneous skeletal fixation for an epicondylar, rather than supracondylar, humerus fracture.No office rate
24582Humeral fracture fixationPercutaneous skeletal fixation for a humeral condylar fracture pattern.No office rate

24538 billing questions

When is 24538 used instead of 24535?

Use 24538 when percutaneous skeletal fixation is performed for the supracondylar or transcondylar fracture. Code 24535 describes closed treatment with manipulation without this percutaneous fixation.

Does 24538 include reduction and pin fixation?

The code represents treatment with percutaneous skeletal fixation; reduction and placement of the fixation are part of that fracture treatment.

What documentation supports 24538?

Document the supracondylar or transcondylar fracture pattern, any intercondylar extension, and the percutaneous skeletal fixation performed.

What is the global period for 24538?

It has a 90-day global period, which includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during the 90 days.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be paid for 24538?

CMS restricts assistant-at-surgery payment for this code. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.

How is 24538 paid with other procedures 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%. Modifier 50 applies to a bilateral procedure, with payment at 150%.

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 24538PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,332 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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