No office rate
Choose 25000 for incision of an extensor tendon sheath. This code is for release of the wrist joint capsule.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
25085 Wrist capsulotomy Medicare reimbursement rates
A surgeon incises the wrist joint capsule to release contracture and improve restricted motion when stiffness arises from capsular tightness. Compare 25085 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities.
Amounts below use the non-QP conversion factor for participating physicians. These are base physician payments before claim-level adjustments, not patient costs or total hospital charges.
What does Medicare pay for 25085?
The service location and office or facility setting determine which base rate applies. These are the supported base rates for the 109 payment areas shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
No supported rate
Facility setting
$379.83–$521.51
109 of 109 localities have a supported rate.
Lowest: Arkansas
Highest: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty)
A spread of $141.68 per service.
These are locality ranges, not averages or address-specific quotes. A facility-setting amount covers the physician service; it does not include a hospital’s separate bill. Choose a locality below to inspect its calculation, compare other payment areas, or price a percentage of Medicare.
Where 25085 pays more and less
Orthopedic surgery
About 25085: Wrist capsular contracture release
A surgeon incises the wrist joint capsule to release contracture and improve restricted motion when stiffness arises from capsular tightness.
This procedure releases a contracted wrist joint capsule that limits motion. An orthopedic or hand surgeon typically performs the operation in a facility operating room, often for persistent wrist stiffness after trauma, surgery, or immobilization. The target is the capsule itself; a tendon-sheath release or removal of a wrist mass describes a different service.
Report the code when the operative documentation supports incision or release of the wrist capsule for contracture, including the treated side and the functional restriction addressed. The service has a 90-day global period, which includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur 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%. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 25085
- Global period
- Major surgery with a 90-day global period: the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included.
- Multiple procedures
- Standard multiple procedure reduction: the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50% when performed in the same session.
- Bilateral procedures
- Bilateral procedure with modifier 50 is paid at 150%.
- Assistant at surgery
- Assistant at surgery may be paid.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons not permitted.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU5.50 · 43%
- Practice expense (office) RVU6.20 · 49%
- Malpractice RVU1.06 · 8%
236
Medicare services in 2024 · #4178 by national volume
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.
25085 compared with similar codes
Office rate ranges across all CMS payment localities, from the same CMS release.
No office rate
Choose 25001 for the specified flexor tendon procedure. Use this code when the operative target is a contracted wrist joint capsule.
No office rate
This code describes capsular release for restricted wrist motion; 25040 describes a wrist arthrotomy service rather than contracture release.
See how rates vary across the country
25085 · Office / nonfacility · Non-QP. Choose a state to explore its payment localities. A range means the amount varies within that state.
Explore a state
Local rates. Clear comparisons.
Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.
View all state and territory rates as a table
| State / territory | Rate range | Localities |
|---|---|---|
| AK | No published base rate | 1 |
| AL | No published base rate | 1 |
| AR | No published base rate | 1 |
| AZ | No published base rate | 1 |
| CA | No published base rate | 29 |
| CO | No published base rate | 1 |
| CT | No published base rate | 1 |
| DC | No published base rate | 1 |
| DE | No published base rate | 1 |
| FL | No published base rate | 3 |
| GA | No published base rate | 2 |
| GU | No published base rate | 1 |
| HI | No published base rate | 1 |
| IA | No published base rate | 1 |
| ID | No published base rate | 1 |
| IL | No published base rate | 4 |
| IN | No published base rate | 1 |
| KS | No published base rate | 1 |
| KY | No published base rate | 1 |
| LA | No published base rate | 2 |
| MA | No published base rate | 2 |
| MD | No published base rate | 3 |
| ME | No published base rate | 2 |
| MI | No published base rate | 2 |
| MN | No published base rate | 1 |
| MO | No published base rate | 3 |
| MS | No published base rate | 1 |
| MT | No published base rate | 1 |
| NC | No published base rate | 1 |
| ND | No published base rate | 1 |
| NE | No published base rate | 1 |
| NH | No published base rate | 1 |
| NJ | No published base rate | 2 |
| NM | No published base rate | 1 |
| NV | No published base rate | 1 |
| NY | No published base rate | 5 |
| OH | No published base rate | 1 |
| OK | No published base rate | 1 |
| OR | No published base rate | 2 |
| PA | No published base rate | 2 |
| PR | No published base rate | 1 |
| RI | No published base rate | 1 |
| SC | No published base rate | 1 |
| SD | No published base rate | 1 |
| TN | No published base rate | 1 |
| TX | No published base rate | 8 |
| UT | No published base rate | 1 |
| VA | No published base rate | 2 |
| VI | No published base rate | 1 |
| VT | No published base rate | 1 |
| WA | No published base rate | 2 |
| WI | No published base rate | 1 |
| WV | No published base rate | 1 |
| WY | No published base rate | 1 |
Compare 25085 by payment locality
Find the payment area for your service address, then open its rate page for calculation inputs, release history and the percentage-of-Medicare tool. A city may cross payment-area boundaries; the ZIP lookup above helps resolve the location.
109 of 109 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Office Unavailable | Facility $384.94 |
| Alaska* | Office Unavailable | Facility $515.61 |
| Arizona | Office Unavailable | Facility $414.68 |
| Arkansas | Office Unavailable | Facility $379.83 |
| Atlanta | Office Unavailable | Facility $437.18 |
| Austin | Office Unavailable | Facility $434.54 |
| Bakersfield | Office Unavailable | Facility $435.72 |
| Baltimore/Surr. Cntys | Office Unavailable | Facility $452.64 |
| Beaumont | Office Unavailable | Facility $405.04 |
| Brazoria | Office Unavailable | Facility $418.01 |
| Chicago | Office Unavailable | Facility $474.37 |
| Chico | Office Unavailable | Facility $432.77 |
| Colorado | Office Unavailable | Facility $433.90 |
| Connecticut | Office Unavailable | Facility $453.25 |
| Dallas | Office Unavailable | Facility $421.99 |
| Dc + Md/Va Suburbs | Office Unavailable | Facility $476.98 |
| Delaware | Office Unavailable | Facility $421.05 |
| Detroit | Office Unavailable | Facility $443.24 |
| East St. Louis | Office Unavailable | Facility $445.53 |
| El Centro | Office Unavailable | Facility $432.95 |
| Fort Lauderdale | Office Unavailable | Facility $457.49 |
| Fort Worth | Office Unavailable | Facility $420.38 |
| Fresno | Office Unavailable | Facility $432.77 |
| Galveston | Office Unavailable | Facility $420.13 |
| Hanford-Corcoran | Office Unavailable | Facility $432.77 |
| Hawaii, Guam | Office Unavailable | Facility $439.66 |
| Houston | Office Unavailable | Facility $439.53 |
| Idaho | Office Unavailable | Facility $390.97 |
| Indiana | Office Unavailable | Facility $392.88 |
| Iowa | Office Unavailable | Facility $387.24 |
| Kansas | Office Unavailable | Facility $388.75 |
| Kentucky | Office Unavailable | Facility $400.20 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (Los Angeles/Orange Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $459.73 |
| Madera | Office Unavailable | Facility $432.77 |
| Manhattan | Office Unavailable | Facility $492.25 |
| Merced | Office Unavailable | Facility $432.77 |
| Metropolitan Boston | Office Unavailable | Facility $470.01 |
| Metropolitan Kansas City | Office Unavailable | Facility $412.75 |
| Metropolitan Philadelphia | Office Unavailable | Facility $444.83 |
| Metropolitan St. Louis | Office Unavailable | Facility $416.33 |
| Miami | Office Unavailable | Facility $488.82 |
| Minnesota | Office Unavailable | Facility $407.28 |
| Mississippi | Office Unavailable | Facility $388.17 |
| Modesto | Office Unavailable | Facility $432.77 |
| Montana** | Office Unavailable | Facility $426.12 |
| Napa | Office Unavailable | Facility $486.20 |
| Nebraska | Office Unavailable | Facility $388.23 |
| Nevada** | Office Unavailable | Facility $420.49 |
| New Hampshire | Office Unavailable | Facility $430.26 |
| New Mexico | Office Unavailable | Facility $416.12 |
| New Orleans | Office Unavailable | Facility $418.79 |
| North Carolina | Office Unavailable | Facility $399.54 |
| North Dakota** | Office Unavailable | Facility $405.16 |
| Northern Nj | Office Unavailable | Facility $473.31 |
| Nyc Suburbs/Long Island | Office Unavailable | Facility $507.43 |
| Ohio | Office Unavailable | Facility $408.46 |
| Oklahoma | Office Unavailable | Facility $396.14 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | Office Unavailable | Facility $455.68 |
| Portland | Office Unavailable | Facility $443.06 |
| Poughkpsie/N Nyc Suburbs | Office Unavailable | Facility $461.57 |
| Puerto Rico | Office Unavailable | Facility $427.94 |
| Queens | Office Unavailable | Facility $491.29 |
| Redding | Office Unavailable | Facility $432.77 |
| Rest Of California | Office Unavailable | Facility $432.77 |
| Rest Of Florida | Office Unavailable | Facility $434.89 |
| Rest Of Georgia | Office Unavailable | Facility $410.63 |
| Rest Of Illinois | Office Unavailable | Facility $428.11 |
| Rest Of Louisiana | Office Unavailable | Facility $400.89 |
| Rest Of Maine | Office Unavailable | Facility $396.25 |
| Rest Of Maryland | Office Unavailable | Facility $427.61 |
| Rest Of Massachusetts | Office Unavailable | Facility $432.92 |
| Rest Of Michigan | Office Unavailable | Facility $412.75 |
| Rest Of Missouri | Office Unavailable | Facility $396.70 |
| Rest Of New Jersey | Office Unavailable | Facility $456.03 |
| Rest Of New York | Office Unavailable | Facility $405.33 |
| Rest Of Oregon | Office Unavailable | Facility $414.85 |
| Rest Of Pennsylvania | Office Unavailable | Facility $407.27 |
| Rest Of Texas | Office Unavailable | Facility $412.20 |
| Rest Of Washington | Office Unavailable | Facility $431.10 |
| Rhode Island | Office Unavailable | Facility $432.70 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | Office Unavailable | Facility $444.18 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | Office Unavailable | Facility $450.14 |
| Salinas | Office Unavailable | Facility $448.39 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | Office Unavailable | Facility $456.08 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (Marin Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $509.40 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (San Francisco/San Mateo/Alameda/Contra Costa Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $508.19 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $521.51 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (Santa Clara Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $516.59 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | Office Unavailable | Facility $441.68 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | Office Unavailable | Facility $458.15 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | Office Unavailable | Facility $449.29 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | Office Unavailable | Facility $462.49 |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | Office Unavailable | Facility $475.91 |
| South Carolina | Office Unavailable | Facility $405.15 |
| South Dakota** | Office Unavailable | Facility $402.69 |
| Southern Maine | Office Unavailable | Facility $411.27 |
| Stockton | Office Unavailable | Facility $432.77 |
| Suburban Chicago | Office Unavailable | Facility $460.41 |
| Tennessee | Office Unavailable | Facility $390.96 |
| Utah | Office Unavailable | Facility $410.16 |
| Vallejo | Office Unavailable | Facility $484.47 |
| Vermont | Office Unavailable | Facility $406.63 |
| Virgin Islands | Office Unavailable | Facility $427.94 |
| Virginia | Office Unavailable | Facility $412.27 |
| Visalia | Office Unavailable | Facility $432.77 |
| West Virginia | Office Unavailable | Facility $414.33 |
| Wisconsin | Office Unavailable | Facility $393.00 |
| Wyoming** | Office Unavailable | Facility $416.99 |
| Yuba City | Office Unavailable | Facility $432.77 |
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25085 billing questions
When is this code appropriate instead of a wrist arthrotomy code?
Use this code when the operative goal is release of a contracted wrist capsule. A wrist arthrotomy code describes a different joint procedure, such as access for diagnostic evaluation or biopsy.
Can a tendon-sheath incision be reported as a wrist capsulotomy?
No. Codes 25000 and 25001 address tendon-sheath procedures, while this code requires work on the wrist joint capsule.
What documentation supports reporting this procedure?
Document the capsular contracture or tightness, the resulting motion restriction, the wrist and side treated, and the operative release performed.
How should bilateral procedures be reported?
For bilateral wrist procedures, modifier 50 is paid at 150% under the CMS facts for this code.
How does the multiple-procedure rule affect payment?
When other procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the other procedures are paid at 50%.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
Where these rates come from
FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense, and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indices and the applicable conversion factor. Unavailable or separately priced services are labeled rather than assigned a made-up amount.
Source: RVU26D. Effective 2026-10-01 through the day before 2027-01-01.
2,38325076,,Exc forearm tum deep < 3 cm,A,,6.57,6.83,NA,6.83,,1.30,14.70,14.70,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,38425077,,Resect forearm/wrist tum<3cm,A,,12.61,8.90,NA,8.90,,3.36,24.87,24.87,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,38525078,,Resect forarm/wrist tum 3cm>,A,,17.25,11.26,NA,11.26,,3.89,32.40,32.40,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,2,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,38625085,,Incision of wrist capsule,A,,5.50,6.20,NA,6.20,,1.06,12.76,12.76,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,2,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,38725100,,Biopsy of wrist joint,A,,3.92,5.63,NA,5.63,,0.84,10.39,10.39,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,38825101,,Explore/treat wrist joint,A,,4.71,6.11,NA,6.11,,0.92,11.74,11.74,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,38925105,,Remove wrist joint lining,A,,5.87,6.89,NA,6.89,,1.14,13.90,13.90,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,0,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00