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Billing code 25280: Tendon adjustmentMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports operative lengthening or shortening of a flexor or extensor tendon at the forearm or wrist to adjust tendon length or function.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities2.3K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $532.41 for 25280 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 25280

Tendon adjustment

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
7.21
Total RVUs
15.94
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$532.41

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 25280 → · 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 25280 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 25280 covers

The surgeon surgically changes the length of a flexor or extensor tendon in the forearm or wrist. This may be performed to address a tendon-length imbalance or contracture affecting wrist or hand movement. Orthopedic and hand surgeons typically perform the procedure in an operating room, with the operative report identifying the tendon and describing the adjustment made.

Report the service for each tendon lengthened or shortened; documentation should distinguish this work from tendon repair, cutting a tendon, or freeing adhesions. This major surgery has 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 are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is not appropriate. Assistant-at-surgery and co-surgeon payment require supporting documentation; 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 25280 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

25280 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$481.41
Alaska*Unavailable$647.57
ArizonaUnavailable$518.05
ArkansasUnavailable$475.10
AtlantaUnavailable$546.51
AustinUnavailable$541.70
BakersfieldUnavailable$542.04
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$565.27
BeaumontUnavailable$507.06
BrazoriaUnavailable$521.78

25280 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
25280 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 25280 rate is calculated

Each of 25280’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 · 25280

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 7.21Practice expense 7.32Malpractice 1.41

15.9400 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$532.41

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 25280

25280 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 25280

Tendon adjustment

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)0The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)0Not paid without supporting documentation.
Co-surgeons (62)1Permitted with supporting documentation.
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 · 25280

Tendon adjustment

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 51 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

25280 without 51 · national facility

$532.41

Tendon adjustment

25280-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$266.21

When this isn’t the highest-valued procedure in the session, Medicare pays 50% of its fee schedule amount (the highest is paid at 100%).

When to use modifier 51

25280 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

25280 vs 25260 vs 25270 vs 25290 vs 25295: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 25280
    Tendon adjustment · 7.21 wRVU
    —
  • 25260
    Flexor tendon repair · 7.84 wRVU
    —
  • 25270
    Extensor tendon repair · 6.02 wRVU
    —
  • 25290
    Tendon division · 5.29 wRVU
    —
  • 25295
    Tendon release · 6.55 wRVU
    —

How to choose

25260Flexor tendon repair
This code is for changing tendon length. Code 25260 is used for primary repair of a forearm or wrist flexor tendon or muscle.
25270Extensor tendon repair
This code adjusts tendon length; 25270 is for primary repair of a forearm or wrist extensor tendon or muscle.
25290Tendon division
Use 25290 for open division of a tendon. Use this code when the surgeon lengthens or shortens the tendon instead.
25295Tendon release
Code 25295 is for freeing adhesions that restrict tendon movement. This code describes surgical lengthening or shortening.

Codes related to 25280

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

Codes related to 25280
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
25260Flexor tendon repairConsider when the forearm or wrist flexor tendon service is primary repair rather than length adjustment.No office rate
25270Extensor tendon repairConsider when the forearm or wrist extensor tendon service is primary repair rather than length adjustment.No office rate
25290Tendon divisionRepresents open tendon division when the operation cuts the tendon rather than changing its length.No office rate
25295Tendon releaseRepresents freeing tendon adhesions when the procedure releases restricted tendon gliding.No office rate

25280 billing questions

When should this code be chosen instead of a tendon repair code?

Use this code when the surgeon changes the length of a forearm or wrist flexor or extensor tendon. Choose a repair code when the operative service repairs a tendon rather than adjusting its length.

How many units should be reported?

The service is reported for each tendon treated. The operative note should identify each tendon and document whether it was lengthened or shortened.

Is modifier 50 appropriate when both sides are treated?

No. The CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply, and modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code.

What postoperative care is included?

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

How are other procedures in the same session paid?

The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures in the same session are subject to the standard multiple procedure reduction.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; team surgery is not 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 25280PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,425 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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