FeeBase
Log inGet started
Menu

Billing code 27120: Hip socket reconstructionMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports acetabular shelf reconstruction to improve femoral head coverage, commonly for hip dysplasia when the surgeon performs joint-preserving socket augmentation.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities59 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $1,182.73 for 27120 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 27120

Hip socket reconstruction

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
18.77
Total RVUs
35.41
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$1,182.73

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 27120 → · 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 27120 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 27120 covers

An orthopedic surgeon reshapes or augments the acetabular rim to improve coverage of the femoral head while preserving the native joint. A shelf procedure, often involving bone grafting, is a typical example for acetabular deficiency associated with hip dysplasia. This is an open reconstructive hip procedure generally performed in a hospital or other surgical facility, rather than an office-based service.

Report 27120 when the operative work is acetabular shelf reconstruction; distinguish it from procedures that resect the femoral head or replace the joint. The operative report should identify the acetabular deficiency, the reconstructive technique and the treated side. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is 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 27120 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

27120 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$1,072.07
Alaska*Unavailable$1,463.82
ArizonaUnavailable$1,150.44
ArkansasUnavailable$1,058.51
AtlantaUnavailable$1,218.15
AustinUnavailable$1,193.29
BakersfieldUnavailable$1,183.09
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$1,255.19
BeaumontUnavailable$1,135.24
BrazoriaUnavailable$1,154.62

27120 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
27120 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 27120 rate is calculated

Each of 27120’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 · 27120

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 18.77Practice expense 12.65Malpractice 3.99

35.4100 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$1,182.73

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 27120

27120 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 27120

Hip socket reconstruction

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)1Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)2Paid.
Co-surgeons (62)1Permitted with supporting documentation.
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 · 27120

Hip socket reconstruction

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 50 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

27120 without 50 · national facility

$1,182.73

Hip socket reconstruction

27120-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$1,774.10

Both sides on one line with modifier 50 are paid at 150% of the fee schedule amount (subject to multiple-procedure rules with other procedures).

When to use modifier 50

27120 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

27120 vs 27122 vs 27125 vs 27130: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 27120
    Hip socket reconstruction · 18.77 wRVU
    —
  • 27122
    Hip socket reconstruction · 15.69 wRVU
    —
  • 27125
    Hip replacement · 16.22 wRVU
    —
  • 27130
    Hip replacement · 19.11 wRVU
    —

How to choose

27122Hip socket reconstruction
Use 27120 for acetabular shelf reconstruction without femoral head resection. 27122 describes acetabuloplasty that includes femoral head resection.
27125Hip replacement
27125 reports partial hip replacement. Choose 27120 for acetabular reconstruction that preserves the native joint, not femoral component replacement.
27130Hip replacement
27130 is total hip arthroplasty. It applies when the surgeon replaces the joint rather than performing a joint-preserving acetabular shelf reconstruction.

Codes related to 27120

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

Codes related to 27120
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
27122Hip socket reconstructionRelated acetabuloplasty code that includes femoral head resection.No office rate
Used instead
27125Hip replacementPartial hip replacement may be selected when the surgeon replaces rather than reconstructs the joint.No office rate
27130Hip replacementTotal hip arthroplasty replaces the joint rather than augmenting acetabular coverage.No office rate

27120 billing questions

How is 27120 distinguished from 27122?

27120 describes acetabular shelf reconstruction, such as augmenting coverage for dysplasia. 27122 involves acetabuloplasty with femoral head resection, so the operative report should support that additional resection.

Is 27120 used for a hip replacement?

No. It describes reconstructive work on the acetabulum that preserves the native joint; hip replacement procedures are reported with the applicable arthroplasty code.

What documentation supports reporting 27120?

Document the acetabular deficiency, the side treated, and the specific shelf or other acetabular reconstruction performed. The operative note should make clear that the service was not femoral head resection or joint replacement.

How does the 90-day global period affect follow-up billing?

The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included in the global period. CMS applies the multiple-procedure reduction when other procedures are performed in the same session.

Can 27120 be reported bilaterally?

CMS identifies it as a bilateral procedure; reporting modifier 50 is paid at 150%. The documentation should support treatment of both hips.

May an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

An assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, while team surgery is 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 27120PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,757 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

Did this answer your question about what 27120 pays?

Tell us what you were actually trying to work out. We’ll answer you directly, or build the page that does.

Fee sheets

Put 27120 and the rest of your codes on one sheet

Build a fee sheet from your own code list at your locality, put your payer contracts beside Medicare, and see what changed each quarter.

Build my fee sheetOr price your code list free →