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Billing code 25301: Tendon fusionMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports an operation joining tendons at the wrist to alter or stabilize tendon function, rather than transferring a tendon or repairing the wrist joint.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities481 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $599.21 for 25301 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 25301

Tendon fusion

Work RVUs
8.38
Total RVUs
17.94
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$599.21

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 25301 →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 25301 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 25301 covers

The surgeon joins tendons at the wrist as a reconstructive procedure to change or stabilize their action. It may be performed by an orthopedic hand surgeon or plastic surgeon in an operating room, commonly for a wrist tendon imbalance or deformity when the operative plan calls for tendon fusion rather than a tendon transfer. The operative report should identify the tendons joined and the wrist treated.

Report the code when the documented operation is fusion of tendons at the wrist; distinguish it from tendon transplantation and procedures on the wrist joint. This major surgery includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, Medicare pays the highest-valued procedure in full and reduces the others to 50%. For bilateral surgery reported with modifier 50, payment is 150%. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted under the listed CMS rules.

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 25301 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

25301 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$542.48
Alaska*Unavailable$731.93
ArizonaUnavailable$583.16
ArkansasUnavailable$535.46
AtlantaUnavailable$615.23
AustinUnavailable$608.93
BakersfieldUnavailable$608.67
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$635.93
BeaumontUnavailable$571.51
BrazoriaUnavailable$587.09

25301 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
25301 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 25301 rate is calculated

Each of 25301’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 · 25301

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Work8.38

8.38 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense7.93

7.93 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice1.63

1.63 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

17.9400

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$599.21

Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 25301

25301 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 25301

Tendon 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 · 25301

Tendon 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.

  • 24Unrelated E/M visit by the same physician
  • 79Unrelated procedure (starts its own global period)
  • 58Staged, more extensive, or therapy procedure that was planned
  • 78Unplanned 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

25301 without 50 · national facility

$599.21

Tendon fusion

25301-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$898.82

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

25301 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

5 codes, side by side

  • 25301

    Tendon fusion8.38 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 25300

    Tendon fusion8.79 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 25310

    Tendon transfer8.78 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 25315

    Tendon transfer10.41 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 25320

    Wrist stabilization12.43 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

25300Tendon fusion
This is a closely related wrist tendon procedure. Distinguish the codes by matching the full descriptor to the operative technique documented.
25310Tendon transfer
Use 25310 for forearm tendon transplantation. Use 25301 when the documented operation joins tendons at the wrist.
25315Tendon transfer
Code 25315 concerns revision of hand tendons for palsy. This code is for fusion of tendons at the wrist.
25320Wrist stabilization
Code 25320 concerns repair or revision of the wrist joint; this code describes a tendon procedure, not joint repair.

Codes related to 25301

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

Codes related to 25301
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
25300Tendon fusionA closely related wrist tendon procedure; distinguish the specific operation using the full code descriptors.No office rate
Used instead
25310Tendon transferDescribes forearm tendon transplantation rather than joining tendons at the wrist.No office rate
25312Tendon transferAnother forearm tendon transplantation option; use when the documented procedure is transplantation.No office rate
25315Tendon transferAddresses revision of hand tendons for palsy, rather than wrist tendon fusion.No office rate
25320Wrist stabilizationAddresses wrist-joint repair or revision, not fusion of tendons.No office rate

25301 billing questions

How is tendon fusion different from a tendon transplant?

This code describes joining tendons at the wrist. Codes 25310 and 25312 describe forearm tendon transplantation; select based on the operation actually documented.

What should the operative report document?

Document the wrist treated, the tendons joined, and the operative technique and purpose. These details distinguish tendon fusion from tendon transfer or wrist-joint repair.

Does the 90-day global period include postoperative care?

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

How is bilateral surgery handled?

When the procedure is performed bilaterally and reported with modifier 50, CMS payment is 150% under the listed rule.

Can an assistant surgeon be reported?

Assistant-at-surgery services may be paid. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted under the listed CMS rules.

What happens when another procedure is performed in the same session?

The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and the other procedure or procedures are paid at 50% under the standard multiple-procedure reduction.

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 25301PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,429 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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