FeeBase
Log inGet started
Menu

Billing code 26140: SynovectomyMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports surgical removal of diseased synovial tissue from a finger interphalangeal joint, including the associated extensor mechanism, one joint at a time.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities308 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $480.64 for 26140 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 26140

Synovectomy

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
6.18
Total RVUs
14.39
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$480.64

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 26140 → · 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 26140 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 26140 covers

A hand surgeon removes abnormal or chronically inflamed synovial tissue from a finger interphalangeal joint and addresses the associated extensor mechanism. The procedure is used when synovial disease at that joint warrants operative treatment, such as persistent inflammatory synovitis. It is distinct from removing a tendon-sheath lesion or taking synovium only for diagnostic biopsy.

Report one unit for each interphalangeal joint treated, with the operative note identifying the joint and documenting the synovial disease and work performed. This is major surgery with a 90-day global period; the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code, and 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 26140 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

26140 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$434.08
Alaska*Unavailable$581.24
ArizonaUnavailable$467.65
ArkansasUnavailable$428.30
AtlantaUnavailable$493.00
AustinUnavailable$490.12
BakersfieldUnavailable$491.53
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$510.48
BeaumontUnavailable$456.71
BrazoriaUnavailable$471.44

26140 rates by state

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

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

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 every state and territory as a table
26140 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 26140 rate is calculated

Each of 26140’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 · 26140

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 6.18Practice expense 7.02Malpractice 1.19

14.3900 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$480.64

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 26140

26140 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 26140

Synovectomy

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)1Not paid (statutory restriction).
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 · 26140

Synovectomy

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

26140 without 51 · national facility

$480.64

Synovectomy

26140-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$240.32

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

26140 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

26140 vs 26135 vs 26110 vs 26105: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 26140
    Synovectomy · 6.18 wRVU
    —
  • 26135
    Finger joint revision · 6.95 wRVU
    —
  • 26110
    Joint biopsy · 3.56 wRVU
    —
  • 26105
    Joint biopsy · 3.73 wRVU
    —

How to choose

26135Finger joint revision
Choose 26140 for an interphalangeal joint synovectomy; 26135 is for a metacarpophalangeal joint synovectomy.
26110Joint biopsy
26110 describes joint arthrotomy for synovial biopsy. Use 26140 when the operative service is therapeutic synovectomy of an interphalangeal joint.
26105Joint biopsy
26105 is an arthrotomy with synovial biopsy at a finger joint, not removal of diseased synovium as a therapeutic procedure.

Codes related to 26140

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

Codes related to 26140
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
26135Finger joint revisionSynovectomy at a finger metacarpophalangeal joint rather than an interphalangeal joint.No office rate
26130Wrist synovectomySynovectomy at a carpometacarpal joint, a different hand joint site.No office rate
Used instead
26110Joint biopsyJoint arthrotomy with synovial biopsy when the service is diagnostic rather than therapeutic synovectomy.No office rate
26105Joint biopsyJoint arthrotomy with synovial biopsy at a finger joint rather than synovial tissue removal.No office rate

26140 billing questions

How does this differ from 26135?

26140 is for synovectomy at a finger interphalangeal joint. 26135 is for synovectomy at a metacarpophalangeal joint.

Is this the code for a synovial biopsy?

No. This code reports therapeutic removal of diseased synovial tissue. A joint arthrotomy performed to obtain a synovial biopsy is a different service, such as 26110 or 26105 depending on the joint.

How many units should be reported?

Report one unit for each interphalangeal joint treated. The operative note should identify each joint and the synovectomy performed there.

Can modifier 50 be used for both hands?

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

Is related postoperative care separately billable?

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

Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be reported?

Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code. Co-surgeons and team surgery are 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 26140PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,556 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

Did this answer your question about what 26140 pays?

Tell us what you were actually trying to work out. We’ll answer you directly, or build the page that does.

Fee sheets

Put 26140 and the rest of your codes on one sheet

Build a fee sheet from your own code list at your locality, put your payer contracts beside Medicare, and see what changed each quarter.

Build my fee sheetOr price your code list free →