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Billing code 26250: Hand tumor resectionMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports extensive resection of a tumor involving a metacarpal when the operation goes beyond limited curettage or partial bone removal.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities15 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $985.99 for 26250 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 26250

Hand tumor resection

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
14.83
Total RVUs
29.52
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$985.99

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 26250 → · 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 26250 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 26250 covers

This code represents extensive removal of a tumor involving a metacarpal, rather than a limited scrape-out or partial bone excision. An orthopedic or hand surgeon typically performs the operation in an operating room when the tumor’s extent calls for a broader resection. The operative report should identify the involved metacarpal, the tumor, and the extent of bone removed; pathology findings can support the diagnosis but do not replace the operative details.

Select this service based on the operation actually performed and the extent of resection, not simply the presence of a bone tumor. The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included in the 90-day global period. When multiple procedures occur in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this descriptor. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity; 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 26250 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

26250 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$892.05
Alaska*Unavailable$1,211.30
ArizonaUnavailable$958.86
ArkansasUnavailable$880.50
AtlantaUnavailable$1,014.86
AustinUnavailable$997.29
BakersfieldUnavailable$991.11
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$1,047.05
BeaumontUnavailable$943.84
BrazoriaUnavailable$963.27

26250 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
26250 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 26250 rate is calculated

Each of 26250’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 · 26250

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 14.83Practice expense 11.53Malpractice 3.16

29.5200 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$985.99

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 26250

26250 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 26250

Hand tumor resection

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)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 · 26250

Hand tumor resection

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

26250 without 51 · national facility

$985.99

Hand tumor resection

26250-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$493.00

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

26250 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

26250 vs 26200 vs 26230 vs 26260 vs 26262: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 26250
    Hand tumor resection · 14.83 wRVU
    —
  • 26200
    Bone lesion removal · 5.51 wRVU
    —
  • 26230
    Hand bone excision · 6.31 wRVU
    —
  • 26260
    Finger tumor resection · 10.88 wRVU
    —
  • 26262
    Tumor resection · 8.08 wRVU
    —

How to choose

26200Bone lesion removal
Use 26200 for limited excision or curettage of a metacarpal lesion. Code 26250 describes the more extensive tumor resection.
26230Hand bone excision
Code 26230 is for partial metacarpal bone excision. Select 26250 when the operative report supports extensive tumor resection.
26260Finger tumor resection
Code 26260 applies to tumor resection involving the proximal phalanx; 26250 is the metacarpal-level code.
26262Tumor resection
Code 26262 applies to tumor resection involving the distal phalanx; 26250 is for the metacarpal.

Codes related to 26250

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

Codes related to 26250
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
26200Bone lesion removalFor limited excision or curettage of a metacarpal lesion rather than extensive tumor resection.No office rate
26230Hand bone excisionFor partial metacarpal bone excision when the documented procedure is not an extensive tumor resection.No office rate
26260Finger tumor resectionTumor resection code for the proximal phalanx rather than a metacarpal.No office rate
26262Tumor resectionTumor resection code for the distal phalanx rather than a metacarpal.No office rate

26250 billing questions

When is this code a better fit than curettage of a metacarpal lesion?

Use this code when the surgeon performs an extensive tumor resection. Limited excision or curettage of a metacarpal lesion is represented by 26200.

How is this different from partial metacarpal excision?

Code 26230 represents partial removal of metacarpal bone. Choose 26250 when the documented operation is an extensive tumor resection, rather than a partial bone excision.

Can modifier 50 be used for tumors involving both hands?

Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this descriptor. The CMS bilateral adjustment is not used 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.

When is an assistant at surgery payable?

Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted for this service.

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

The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures are subject to 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 26250PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,569 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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