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Billing code 25024: Forearm decompressionMedicare rate & RVUs

Two-compartment forearm fasciotomy is reported when a surgeon releases two forearm spaces to relieve pressure, commonly for acute compartment syndrome.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities110 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $726.80 for 25024 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 25024

Forearm decompression

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
10.52
Total RVUs
21.76
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$726.80

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 25024 → · 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 25024 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 25024 covers

This procedure releases pressure in two forearm compartments through fasciotomy. It is typically performed by an orthopedic, hand, or trauma surgeon in a hospital operating room for acute compartment syndrome, such as after a crush injury, fracture, or reperfusion-related swelling. The operative report should identify the two spaces decompressed and the clinical reason for urgent pressure relief.

Select this code when the surgeon decompresses two spaces; a one-space procedure belongs to the corresponding one-space code. Document the compartments treated and whether nonviable muscle or nerve was debrided, since that distinction separates related codes in this family. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including 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 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 25024 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

25024 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$657.27
Alaska*Unavailable$889.30
ArizonaUnavailable$706.90
ArkansasUnavailable$648.71
AtlantaUnavailable$747.40
AustinUnavailable$736.70
BakersfieldUnavailable$733.90
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$771.83
BeaumontUnavailable$694.41
BrazoriaUnavailable$710.80

25024 rates by state

Office rate range in each state. Select a state to see its payment localities.

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

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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
25024 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 25024 rate is calculated

Each of 25024’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 · 25024

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 10.52Practice expense 9.05Malpractice 2.19

21.7600 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$726.80

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 25024

25024 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 25024

Forearm decompression

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 · 25024

Forearm decompression

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

25024 without 50 · national facility

$726.80

Forearm decompression

25024-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$1,090.20

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

25024 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

25024 vs 25020 vs 25023 vs 25025: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 25024
    Forearm decompression · 10.52 wRVU
    —
  • 25020
    Forearm fasciotomy · 5.91 wRVU
    —
  • 25023
    Forearm decompression · 13.48 wRVU
    —
  • 25025
    Forearm fasciotomy · 17.49 wRVU
    —

How to choose

25020Forearm fasciotomy
25020 is for decompression of one forearm space. Use 25024 when two spaces are released.
25023Forearm decompression
25023 describes one-space decompression with debridement of nonviable muscle or nerve; 25024 represents two-space decompression without that debridement distinction.
25025Forearm fasciotomy
Both codes concern two-space decompression; 25025 is the related choice when nonviable muscle or nerve is debrided.

Codes related to 25024

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

Codes related to 25024
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
25020Forearm fasciotomyForearm decompression for one space rather than two.No office rate
25023Forearm decompressionOne-space decompression with debridement of nonviable muscle or nerve.No office rate
25025Forearm fasciotomyTwo-space decompression when nonviable muscle or nerve is debrided.No office rate

25024 billing questions

How is this code distinguished from the one-space decompression codes?

Use 25024 when the surgeon decompresses two forearm spaces. The one-space codes apply when only one space is released; documentation should identify the spaces treated.

How does debridement affect code selection?

Document whether nonviable muscle or nerve was debrided. The related codes 25023 and 25025 distinguish decompression with debridement for one-space and two-space procedures, respectively.

Is related postoperative care separately reported during the global period?

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

How is bilateral decompression reported?

For a bilateral procedure, report modifier 50; CMS pays the bilateral service at 150%.

Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be reported?

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

What happens when other procedures are performed in the same session?

CMS pays the highest-valued procedure in full and applies the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction to the other procedures.

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 25024PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,372 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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