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Billing code 26426: Tendon repairMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports secondary repair of a finger extensor tendon without a free graft, such as reconstruction after an earlier injury or failed initial repair.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities478 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $475.96 for 26426 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 26426

Tendon repair

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
6.16
Total RVUs
14.25
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$475.96

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 26426 → · 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 26426 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 26426 covers

A hand surgeon repairs an extensor tendon on a finger as a secondary procedure, without using a free tendon graft. The tendon may have been injured in a laceration or may require reconstruction after an earlier repair. The surgeon restores tendon continuity or function through an operative approach; the code is specific to a finger rather than a tendon in the hand more broadly.

Select this code when the operative report supports a secondary repair and documents the finger tendon treated and that no free graft was used. Report the service per tendon. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery; 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 26426 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

26426 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$430.11
Alaska*Unavailable$576.31
ArizonaUnavailable$463.17
ArkansasUnavailable$424.42
AtlantaUnavailable$488.13
AustinUnavailable$485.33
BakersfieldUnavailable$486.78
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$505.39
BeaumontUnavailable$452.39
BrazoriaUnavailable$466.93

26426 rates by state

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

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

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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
26426 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 26426 rate is calculated

Each of 26426’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 · 26426

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 6.16Practice expense 6.92Malpractice 1.17

14.2500 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$475.96

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 26426

26426 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 26426

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)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 · 26426

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

26426 without 51 · national facility

$475.96

Tendon repair

26426-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$237.98

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

26426 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

26426 vs 26418 vs 26428 vs 26420: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 26426
    Tendon repair · 6.16 wRVU
    —
  • 26418
    Finger tendon repair · 4.36 wRVU
    —
  • 26428
    Finger tendon repair · 7.22 wRVU
    —
  • 26420
    Tendon repair · 6.77 wRVU
    —

How to choose

26418Finger tendon repair
Both describe finger extensor tendon repair without a free graft; choose 26426 for secondary repair and 26418 for primary repair.
26428Finger tendon repair
Both describe secondary finger extensor tendon repair; 26428 includes use of a free graft, while 26426 is without one.
26420Tendon repair
26420 is primary finger extensor tendon repair with a free graft. 26426 is secondary repair without a free graft.

Codes related to 26426

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

Codes related to 26426
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
26418Finger tendon repairFinger extensor tendon repair without a free graft for primary repair.No office rate
26420Tendon repairFinger extensor tendon repair with a free graft for primary repair.No office rate
26428Finger tendon repairSecondary finger extensor tendon repair using a free graft.No office rate
Used instead
26410Hand tendon repairExtensor tendon repair without a free graft when the treated tendon is in the hand.No office rate

26426 billing questions

How does this differ from 26418?

26426 is for secondary repair without a free graft. 26418 describes primary repair without a free graft.

When is 26428 a better fit?

Use 26428 when the secondary finger extensor tendon repair uses a free graft. Document graft use and the repair performed.

How many units should be reported?

The code is reported per tendon repaired. The operative report should identify the finger and tendon or tendons treated.

Can modifier 50 be used for repairs on both hands?

No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code; modifier 50 does not apply.

Is an assistant surgeon payable?

No. CMS lists a statutory restriction on assistant-at-surgery payment for this service.

What postoperative care is included?

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

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 26426PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,591 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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