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Billing code 24546: Distal humerus repairMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports operative fixation of a distal humeral fracture extending between the condyles, typically when the fracture involves the elbow joint and requires open reduction.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities1.9K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $953.60 for 24546 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 24546

Distal humerus repair

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
14.54
Total RVUs
28.55
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$953.60

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 24546 → · 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 24546 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 24546 covers

An orthopedic surgeon uses this code for open repair of a distal humerus fracture whose pattern extends between the condyles. The operation exposes the fracture, restores alignment, and may use internal fixation to stabilize the fragments. These injuries involve the elbow end of the humerus and are generally treated in a hospital operating room. The fracture pattern and operative approach distinguish this service from repair of a supracondylar fracture without intercondylar extension.

Report the code when the operative report documents the intercondylar extension and open treatment; include the reduction and fixation performed as part of the operation. The CMS global period is 90 days and includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. For bilateral procedures reported with modifier 50, CMS pays 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made, and co-surgeons are permitted; 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 24546 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

24546 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$864.14
Alaska*Unavailable$1,175.33
ArizonaUnavailable$927.77
ArkansasUnavailable$853.15
AtlantaUnavailable$981.08
AustinUnavailable$964.47
BakersfieldUnavailable$958.95
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$1,011.96
BeaumontUnavailable$913.38
BrazoriaUnavailable$932.13

24546 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
24546 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 24546 rate is calculated

Each of 24546’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 · 24546

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 14.54Practice expense 11.01Malpractice 3.00

28.5500 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$953.60

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 24546

24546 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 24546

Distal humerus 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)2Paid.
Co-surgeons (62)2Permitted.
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 · 24546

Distal humerus 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

24546 without 50 · national facility

$953.60

Distal humerus repair

24546-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$1,430.40

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

24546 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

24546 vs 24545 vs 24538 vs 24579: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 24546
    Distal humerus repair · 14.54 wRVU
    —
  • 24545
    Humerus fracture repair · 12.82 wRVU
    —
  • 24538
    Humerus fracture fixation · 9.53 wRVU
    —
  • 24579
    Humeral fracture repair · 11.15 wRVU
    —

How to choose

24545Humerus fracture repair
Choose 24546 when the fracture has intercondylar extension; 24545 applies when that extension is absent.
24538Humerus fracture fixation
24538 describes percutaneous skeletal fixation. Use 24546 for open repair of a fracture with intercondylar extension.
24579Humeral fracture repair
24579 is for an open-treated humeral condylar fracture pattern; 24546 identifies the supracondylar or transcondylar pattern with intercondylar extension.

Codes related to 24546

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

Codes related to 24546
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
24545Humerus fracture repairOpen repair of the related distal humerus fracture pattern without intercondylar extension.No office rate
Used instead
24538Humerus fracture fixationPercutaneous skeletal fixation for a supracondylar or transcondylar humeral fracture.No office rate
24535Fracture treatmentClosed treatment with manipulation rather than open fracture repair.$608.51–$873.74
24579Humeral fracture repairOpen repair coded for a humeral condylar fracture pattern.No office rate

24546 billing questions

How is 24546 distinguished from 24545?

Use 24546 when the fracture extends between the condyles. Code 24545 describes the corresponding open repair without intercondylar extension.

Is the fixation reported separately?

Internal fixation performed as part of the open fracture repair is included in this service; do not report it again as a separate surgeon procedure.

What documentation supports 24546?

The operative report should identify the distal humerus fracture pattern, document its intercondylar extension, and describe the open reduction and stabilization performed.

How does the 90-day global period affect postoperative billing?

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

Can modifier 50 or an assistant-at-surgery claim be used?

For a bilateral procedure, CMS pays 150% when modifier 50 is used. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made, and co-surgeons are 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 24546PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,334 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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