Billing code 25520: Forearm fracture careMedicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $636.62 for 25520 nationally in the office and $532.08 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $561.32–$807.15.

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

What 25520 covers

This code describes closed treatment with manipulation of a radial shaft fracture and its associated distal radioulnar joint dislocation, known as a Galeazzi fracture-dislocation. The clinician reduces and manages both parts of the injury without open fracture treatment. Orthopedic or trauma clinicians may provide this service in an emergency department, outpatient setting, or hospital. The record should identify the radial shaft fracture and DRUJ dislocation and describe the closed manipulation and treatment performed.

Select this code when the injury includes both the radial shaft fracture and DRUJ dislocation; an isolated radial shaft fracture or open treatment belongs to a different code. The CMS 90-day global period includes 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 at 50%. For bilateral treatment reported with modifier 50, CMS pays at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery services are not paid; 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 25520 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

25520 rates by state

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

How the 25520 rate is calculated

Each of 25520’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.

Payment rules and modifiers for 25520

25520 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 50

25520 compared with similar codes

How to choose

25505Fracture treatment

Both involve closed treatment with manipulation of a radial shaft fracture. Use 25520 when the fracture is accompanied by a DRUJ dislocation; use 25505 for the fracture without that associated dislocation.

25525Forearm fracture treatment

Both address a radial shaft fracture with DRUJ dislocation, but 25525 is for open treatment rather than closed treatment with manipulation.

25526Galeazzi fracture repair

Use 25526 when the radial shaft is treated with open internal fixation and the DRUJ is treated closed; 25520 describes closed treatment with manipulation.

25515Radius fracture repair

Code 25515 describes open treatment of a radial shaft fracture without the associated DRUJ dislocation covered by 25520.

Codes related to 25520

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

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

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates