Billing code 27138: Hip revisionMedicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $1,367.10 for 27138 nationally in a facility.

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

What 27138 covers

An orthopedic surgeon reports this service when revising the femoral component of an existing total hip replacement while leaving the acetabular component in place. The operation may address problems such as femoral component loosening or mechanical failure. It is typically performed in a hospital or other surgical facility; the revision may include use of an allograft. The key distinction is that the work revises the femoral component alone, rather than both sides of the joint or the acetabular component alone.

The operative report should identify the component revised and describe the revision performed, including any allograft use. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeons are paid only with 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 27138 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

27138 rates by state

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

How the 27138 rate is calculated

Each of 27138’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.

Payment rules and modifiers for 27138

27138 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

What modifiers do to the payment

When to use modifier 50

27138 compared with similar codes

How to choose

27134Hip revision

Use 27134 when both components of the existing total hip replacement are revised. This code is for the femoral component alone.

27137Hip revision

Use 27137 when the acetabular component alone is revised; use this code when the femoral component alone is revised.

27130Hip replacement

27130 describes primary total hip replacement. This code applies when the femoral component of an existing total hip replacement is revised.

Codes related to 27138

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

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

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates