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Billing code 26861: Finger joint fusionMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports fusion of an additional finger interphalangeal joint during the same operative session as the primary finger joint fusion.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities692 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $86.84 for 26861 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 26861

Finger joint fusion

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
1.7
Total RVUs
2.60
Global days
ZZZ

National rate · 2026

$86.84

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 26861 → · 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 26861 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 26861 covers

A hand surgeon fuses an additional interphalangeal joint in a finger by preparing the joint surfaces and stabilizing them so the bones can unite. The service may involve a proximal or distal interphalangeal joint; the thumb is coded separately. Internal fixation may be used. This add-on represents another finger joint treated during the operative session, not a later fusion or a separate visit.

Report 26861 with the primary finger interphalangeal fusion code, 26860, for each additional joint treated. The operative report should identify the digit and joint, document the fusion work, and distinguish each additional joint from the one represented by the primary code. CMS classifies 26861 as an add-on: it is billed only with a primary procedure and paid within that procedure’s global period. When autogenous bone graft is used for the additional joint, compare the graft-specific add-on code instead.

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 26861 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

26861 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$79.58
Alaska*Unavailable$111.35
ArizonaUnavailable$84.63
ArkansasUnavailable$78.70
AtlantaUnavailable$89.59
AustinUnavailable$86.75
BakersfieldUnavailable$85.28
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$91.81
BeaumontUnavailable$84.35
BrazoriaUnavailable$84.63

26861 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
26861 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 26861 rate is calculated

Each of 26861’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 · 26861

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 1.70Practice expense 0.56Malpractice 0.34

2.6000 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$86.84

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 26861

The CMS indicators that decide how 26861 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 26861

Finger joint fusion

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global periodZZZAdd-on code: falls within the primary procedure’s global period.
Multiple procedures0No multiple-procedure reduction.
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.

26861 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

26861 vs 26860 vs 26863 vs 26850: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 26861
    Finger joint fusion · 1.7 wRVU
    —
  • 26860
    Finger joint fusion · 4.76 wRVU
    —
  • 26863
    Finger joint fusion · 3.79 wRVU
    —
  • 26850
    Knuckle fusion · 6.96 wRVU
    —

How to choose

26860Finger joint fusion
26860 reports the primary finger interphalangeal joint fusion. Use 26861 for each additional finger interphalangeal joint fused in that operative session.
26863Finger joint fusion
26863 is the additional-joint counterpart when autogenous bone graft is used; 26861 is for the additional fusion without that graft.
26850Knuckle fusion
26850 concerns a finger metacarpophalangeal joint. Code 26861 concerns an additional interphalangeal joint.

Codes related to 26861

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

Codes related to 26861
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Add-on codes
26860Finger joint fusionPrimary finger interphalangeal fusion code reported with this additional-joint code.No office rate
Same family
26863Finger joint fusionAdditional finger interphalangeal fusion code when autogenous bone graft is used.No office rate
26862Finger fusionPrimary finger interphalangeal fusion code when autogenous bone graft is used.No office rate
Used instead
26850Knuckle fusionFuses a finger metacarpophalangeal joint rather than an interphalangeal joint.No office rate
26841Thumb fusionUsed for thumb fusion, not fusion of an additional finger interphalangeal joint.No office rate

26861 billing questions

When should 26861 be reported instead of 26860?

Use 26860 for the primary finger interphalangeal joint fusion. Report 26861 for each additional finger interphalangeal joint fused in the same operative session.

Can 26861 be billed by itself?

No. It is an add-on code and must be reported with the primary procedure, 26860. CMS payment is within that primary procedure’s global period.

How is 26861 different from 26863?

Both represent an additional finger interphalangeal joint fusion. Use 26863 when the additional joint fusion includes autogenous bone graft; 26861 is the corresponding option without that graft.

What should the operative note identify?

Document the digit and interphalangeal joint fused, the fusion work performed, and which joint is the additional one. The note should support the primary procedure and each separately treated additional joint.

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 26861PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,699 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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