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Billing code 24802: Elbow fusionMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports surgical fusion of the elbow using the patient's own bone graft when the treatment plan calls for a permanently stabilized joint.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities

Medicare pays $926.54 for 24802 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 24802

Elbow fusion

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
13.96
Total RVUs
27.74
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$926.54

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 24802 → · 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 24802 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 24802 covers

This procedure permanently joins the elbow bones using bone harvested from the same patient to support fusion. An orthopedic surgeon typically performs it in an operating room when a severely damaged or painful elbow is being treated with fusion for stability rather than motion preservation. The operative documentation should establish the arthrodesis and use of autogenous graft; the graft harvest is included in this service.

Select this code when the elbow fusion uses the patient's own graft, distinguishing it from the local-graft approach represented by 24800. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed 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%. An assistant at surgery may be paid; 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 24802 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

24802 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$838.25
Alaska*Unavailable$1,138.44
ArizonaUnavailable$901.03
ArkansasUnavailable$827.40
AtlantaUnavailable$953.72
AustinUnavailable$937.05
BakersfieldUnavailable$931.11
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$983.92
BeaumontUnavailable$887.01
BrazoriaUnavailable$905.13

24802 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
24802 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 24802 rate is calculated

Each of 24802’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 · 24802

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 13.96Practice expense 10.80Malpractice 2.98

27.7400 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$926.54

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 24802

24802 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 24802

Elbow fusion

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)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 · 24802

Elbow fusion

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

24802 without 50 · national facility

$926.54

Elbow fusion

24802-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$1,389.81

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

24802 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

24802 vs 24800 vs 24360 vs 24363: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 24802
    Elbow fusion · 13.96 wRVU
    —
  • 24800
    Elbow fusion · 11.12 wRVU
    —
  • 24360
    Elbow arthroplasty · 12.35 wRVU
    —
  • 24363
    Elbow arthroplasty · 21.45 wRVU
    —

How to choose

24800Elbow fusion
Both codes describe elbow arthrodesis. Choose 24802 for fusion with autogenous graft; 24800 represents the local-graft approach, with or without external fixation.
24360Elbow arthroplasty
This code describes elbow interposition arthroplasty, not permanent fusion with autogenous graft.
24363Elbow arthroplasty
This code describes total elbow replacement with a prosthesis; 24802 is used when the surgeon fuses the elbow with the patient's own bone graft.

Codes related to 24802

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

Codes related to 24802
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
24800Elbow fusionElbow arthrodesis using a local-graft approach, with or without external fixation.No office rate
Used instead
24360Elbow arthroplastyElbow interposition arthroplasty preserves a reconstructive joint approach rather than fusing the elbow.No office rate
24363Elbow arthroplastyTotal elbow arthroplasty replaces the joint with a prosthesis instead of fusing it.No office rate

24802 billing questions

How does this differ from 24800?

Use 24802 when the elbow fusion uses autogenous graft. Code 24800 describes the local-graft approach, with or without external fixation.

Is harvesting the patient's graft separately reportable?

No. Obtaining the autogenous graft is included in this elbow arthrodesis service.

Can an assistant-at-surgery claim be submitted?

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

What postoperative care is included?

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

How is bilateral elbow fusion handled?

When both elbows are treated and modifier 50 is reported, CMS pays this bilateral procedure at 150%.

What happens when another procedure is 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%.

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 24802PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,359 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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