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Billing code 26479: Tendon shorteningMedicare rate & RVUs

Shortens an extensor tendon in the hand or finger when excess tendon length needs correction to restore appropriate tension and function.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities

Medicare pays $676.03 for 26479 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 26479

Tendon shortening

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
5.76
Total RVUs
20.24
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$676.03

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 26479 → · 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 26479 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 26479 covers

A hand surgeon shortens an extensor tendon in the hand or finger to correct excessive tendon length and improve tendon tension or motion. The operation may be selected when the documented problem is addressed by shortening the tendon itself, rather than by releasing it, lengthening it, or changing its position. The operative report should identify the treated tendon and hand or finger, describe the shortening performed, and connect the procedure to the functional problem being treated.

Report the service for each tendon shortened, with documentation supporting the tendon and procedure performed. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including 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 other procedures are subject to the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. An assistant at surgery may be 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 26479 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

26479 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$602.88
Alaska*Unavailable$782.55
ArizonaUnavailable$656.40
ArkansasUnavailable$593.71
AtlantaUnavailable$691.95
AustinUnavailable$697.40
BakersfieldUnavailable$706.11
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$721.16
BeaumontUnavailable$633.29
BrazoriaUnavailable$664.55

26479 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
26479 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 26479 rate is calculated

Each of 26479’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 · 26479

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 5.76Practice expense 13.25Malpractice 1.23

20.2400 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$676.03

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 26479

26479 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 26479

Tendon shortening

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)2Paid.
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 · 26479

Tendon shortening

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

26479 without 51 · national facility

$676.03

Tendon shortening

26479-51 · Second procedure: 50%

$338.02

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

26479 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

26479 vs 26477 vs 26478 vs 26437: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 26479
    Tendon shortening · 5.76 wRVU
    —
  • 26477
    Tendon shortening · 5.19 wRVU
    —
  • 26478
    Tendon lengthening · 5.82 wRVU
    —
  • 26437
    Tendon realignment · 5.84 wRVU
    —

How to choose

26477Tendon shortening
Choose 26479 for shortening an extensor tendon of the hand or finger; 26477 is for shortening a flexor tendon.
26478Tendon lengthening
26479 shortens the tendon; 26478 is a lengthening procedure. The operative objective and work performed determine the choice.
26437Tendon realignment
Use 26479 when the tendon is shortened. Code 26437 describes tendon realignment, where repositioning rather than shortening is the correction.

Codes related to 26479

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

Codes related to 26479
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
26477Tendon shorteningShortening counterpart for a flexor tendon rather than a hand or finger extensor tendon.No office rate
26478Tendon lengtheningLengthening procedure in the hand tendon family, rather than shortening.No office rate
26476Tendon lengtheningTendon lengthening option in the neighboring hand and finger tendon group.No office rate
Used instead
26437Tendon realignmentRealigns a tendon when repositioning, rather than shortening, is the operative correction.No office rate

26479 billing questions

How is this code distinguished from 26477?

This code describes shortening an extensor tendon of the hand or finger. Code 26477 is the corresponding shortening service for a flexor tendon.

What documentation supports reporting this service?

Document the hand or finger, the specific extensor tendon treated, the reason shortening was needed, and the operative work that shortened it.

Can modifier 50 be used when both hands are treated?

No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code. Report the performed service according to the applicable claim instructions rather than using modifier 50.

How are other procedures in the same session paid?

CMS applies the standard multiple-procedure reduction: the highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures in the session are subject to a 50% reduction.

Is related postoperative care separately included?

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

May an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

An assistant at surgery may be paid for this service. 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 26479PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,609 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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