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Billing code 25441: Wrist arthroplastyMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports wrist arthroplasty using a prosthetic replacement of the distal radius, typically when surgery addresses damage involving the radius at the wrist joint.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities77 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $869.09 for 25441 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 25441

Wrist arthroplasty

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
12.96
Total RVUs
26.02
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$869.09

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 25441 → · 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 25441 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 25441 covers

An orthopedic hand or wrist surgeon removes or reshapes the damaged distal radius joint surface and places a prosthesis to restore the radial side of the wrist articulation. The procedure may be considered for substantial joint damage, including damage related to prior trauma or degenerative disease. It is generally performed in an operating room rather than an office setting.

Select this code when the operative service includes prosthetic replacement of the distal radius; distinguish it from replacement of the distal ulna or other carpal structures. The operative report should identify the treated bone, the extent of the arthroplasty, and the prosthesis placed. This major surgery has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care. For multiple procedures 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-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and 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 25441 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

25441 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$786.18
Alaska*Unavailable$1,066.67
ArizonaUnavailable$845.19
ArkansasUnavailable$775.99
AtlantaUnavailable$894.36
AustinUnavailable$879.46
BakersfieldUnavailable$874.46
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$922.92
BeaumontUnavailable$831.58
BrazoriaUnavailable$849.25

25441 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
25441 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 25441 rate is calculated

Each of 25441’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 · 25441

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 12.96Practice expense 10.31Malpractice 2.75

26.0200 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$869.09

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 25441

25441 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 25441

Wrist arthroplasty

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)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 · 25441

Wrist arthroplasty

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

25441 without 50 · national facility

$869.09

Wrist arthroplasty

25441-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$1,303.64

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

25441 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

25441 vs 25442 vs 25446 vs 25449: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 25441
    Wrist arthroplasty · 12.96 wRVU
    —
  • 25442
    Ulna arthroplasty · 10.84 wRVU
    —
  • 25446
    Wrist arthroplasty · 16.87 wRVU
    —
  • 25449
    Wrist revision · 14.57 wRVU
    —

How to choose

25442Ulna arthroplasty
Choose 25442 for prosthetic arthroplasty of the distal ulna. This code is for replacement at the distal radius.
25446Wrist arthroplasty
Choose 25446 when the prosthetic arthroplasty involves both the distal radius and carpus; this code identifies distal-radius replacement.
25449Wrist revision
Code 25449 describes revision of a wrist arthroplasty. This code describes prosthetic arthroplasty of the distal radius, not revision of a wrist joint replacement.

Codes related to 25441

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

Codes related to 25441
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
25442Ulna arthroplastyProsthetic arthroplasty of the distal ulna rather than the distal radius.No office rate
25443Wrist arthroplastyProsthetic arthroplasty involving the distal scaphoid or carpal structure.No office rate
25444Wrist arthroplastyProsthetic replacement of the lunate.No office rate
25445Trapezium arthroplastyProsthetic replacement of the trapezium.No office rate
25446Wrist arthroplastyProsthetic arthroplasty involving the distal radius and carpus.No office rate

25441 billing questions

How is this distinguished from distal ulna prosthetic arthroplasty?

Use this code when the prosthetic replacement is at the distal radius. Code 25442 describes prosthetic arthroplasty of the distal ulna.

Are routine postoperative visits separately reported?

Related postoperative care during the 90-day global period is included in the surgical payment. The global period also includes the day-before preoperative visit.

How should bilateral distal radius procedures be reported?

When the procedure is performed bilaterally, report modifier 50; CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

An assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeons are paid only when supporting documentation is provided; team surgery is not permitted.

What operative documentation supports this code?

Document that a prosthetic replacement was performed at the distal radius, identify the treated anatomy and describe the prosthesis and operative work.

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 25441PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,458 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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