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Billing code 26370: Tendon repairMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports surgical repair of an extensor tendon in the hand or finger without a free graft, such as repair after a tendon laceration.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities236 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $759.87 for 26370 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 26370

Tendon repair

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
7.1
Total RVUs
22.75
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$759.87

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 26370 → · 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 26370 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 26370 covers

This code describes operative repair of an extensor tendon in the hand or a finger without using a free tendon graft. A hand surgeon or other qualified surgeon may perform the repair after an injury such as a laceration that interrupts tendon continuity and impairs finger or thumb extension. The procedure is generally performed in an operating room, with the operative report identifying the tendon repaired and the repair technique.

Select the code based on the documented tendon, repair, and use or absence of a free graft; distinguish it from flexor tendon repair and grafted repair codes. Report each eligible tendon as directed by billing code guidance, supported by the operative details. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care for 90 days. 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 multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented 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 26370 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

26370 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$680.70
Alaska*Unavailable$889.42
ArizonaUnavailable$738.61
ArkansasUnavailable$670.77
AtlantaUnavailable$777.23
AustinUnavailable$782.96
BakersfieldUnavailable$792.76
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$809.16
BeaumontUnavailable$713.68
BrazoriaUnavailable$747.62

26370 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
26370 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 26370 rate is calculated

Each of 26370’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 · 26370

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 7.10Practice expense 14.31Malpractice 1.34

22.7500 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$759.87

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 26370

26370 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 26370

Tendon repair

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 · 26370

Tendon repair

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

26370 without 51 · national facility

$759.87

Tendon repair

26370-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$379.94

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

26370 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

26370 vs 26350 vs 26356 vs 26372 vs 26390: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 26370
    Tendon repair · 7.1 wRVU
    —
  • 26350
    Flexor tendon repair · 6.05 wRVU
    —
  • 26356
    Flexor tendon repair · 9.32 wRVU
    —
  • 26372
    Hand tendon repair · 8.78 wRVU
    —
  • 26390
    Tendon revision · 9.19 wRVU
    —

How to choose

26350Flexor tendon repair
26350 is for flexor tendon repair; 26370 is for extensor tendon repair. Identify the tendon and its function from the operative report.
26356Flexor tendon repair
26356 is in the flexor tendon repair family. Choose 26370 when the repaired structure is an extensor tendon.
26372Hand tendon repair
26372 is a related extensor tendon repair code associated with graft use. This code describes repair without a free graft.
26390Tendon revision
26390 describes revision of a hand or finger tendon; 26370 reports tendon repair rather than revision.

Codes related to 26370

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

Codes related to 26370
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
26372Hand tendon repairRelated extensor tendon repair code associated with graft use.No office rate
26350Flexor tendon repairFlexor tendon repair code; distinguishes tendon function from this extensor repair.No office rate
26352Tendon repairFlexor tendon repair code involving grafting.No office rate
26356Flexor tendon repairAnother flexor tendon repair code in the hand and finger series.No office rate
Used instead
26390Tendon revisionDescribes revision of a hand or finger tendon rather than the repair reported here.No office rate

26370 billing questions

How does this differ from the hand flexor tendon repair codes?

This code is for an extensor tendon repair. Codes in the 26350–26358 family describe flexor tendon repairs; use the operative report to identify which tendon was repaired.

When should a grafted repair code be considered?

Use a graft-related code when the documented repair uses a free tendon graft. This code describes repair without a free graft.

Can the surgeon report modifier 50 for repairs on both hands?

No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code. Apply the applicable coding instructions for the documented services rather than modifier 50.

What postoperative care is included?

The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during the 90 days after surgery.

When is an assistant-at-surgery claim payable?

Medicare assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation that the assistant's involvement was medically necessary.

Can co-surgeons or a surgical team report this repair?

CMS does not permit co-surgeons or team surgery for this code.

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 26370PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,580 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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