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Billing code 27380: Patellar tendon repairMedicare rate & RVUs

Primary surgical repair of a ruptured patellar tendon restores the knee extensor mechanism and is reported for direct repair of the tendon.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities1.5K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $597.88 for 27380 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 27380

Patellar tendon repair

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
7.26
Total RVUs
17.90
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$597.88

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 27380 → · 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 27380 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 27380 covers

An orthopedic surgeon typically uses this service to repair a ruptured patellar tendon, the structure connecting the kneecap to the shinbone. Acute rupture after a fall, jump, or forceful knee contraction is a common setting; the injury can prevent active knee extension. Repair is generally performed in an operating room, with the tendon reattached or sutured to restore continuity.

Report this code when the operative documentation supports a primary repair of the patellar tendon. The note should identify the injured tendon, the repair performed, and the affected side. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When bilateral repairs are performed, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; 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 27380 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

27380 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$537.97
Alaska*Unavailable$716.47
ArizonaUnavailable$581.20
ArkansasUnavailable$530.53
AtlantaUnavailable$613.56
AustinUnavailable$610.36
BakersfieldUnavailable$612.20
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$635.92
BeaumontUnavailable$566.84
BrazoriaUnavailable$586.05

27380 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
27380 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 27380 rate is calculated

Each of 27380’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 · 27380

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 7.26Practice expense 9.14Malpractice 1.50

17.9000 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$597.88

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 27380

27380 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 27380

Patellar 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)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 · 27380

Patellar 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 50 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

27380 without 50 · national facility

$597.88

Patellar tendon repair

27380-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$896.82

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

27380 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

27380 vs 27381 vs 27385 vs 27386: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 27380
    Patellar tendon repair · 7.26 wRVU
    —
  • 27381
    Patellar tendon repair · 10.49 wRVU
    —
  • 27385
    Thigh muscle repair · 6.76 wRVU
    —
  • 27386
    Thigh muscle repair · 10.85 wRVU
    —

How to choose

27381Patellar tendon repair
Use 27380 for primary patellar tendon repair. Use 27381 when the documented repair is secondary, with or without graft.
27385Thigh muscle repair
This code addresses primary repair of a patellar tendon rupture; 27385 concerns rupture of a quadriceps or hamstring muscle.
27386Thigh muscle repair
Use this code for primary patellar tendon repair. Code 27386 concerns secondary repair, with or without graft, of a quadriceps or hamstring muscle rupture.

Codes related to 27380

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

Codes related to 27380
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
27381Patellar tendon repairSecondary patellar tendon repair, with or without graft.No office rate
Used instead
27385Thigh muscle repairRepair code for a quadriceps or hamstring muscle rupture rather than the patellar tendon.No office rate
27386Thigh muscle repairSecondary repair with or without graft for quadriceps or hamstring muscle rupture.No office rate

27380 billing questions

How is this code different from 27381?

This code is for a primary patellar tendon repair. Code 27381 is used for secondary repair, with or without graft, so the operative circumstances and repair type guide the choice.

Is routine postoperative care separately reported?

Related postoperative care during the 90-day global period is included, as is the day-before preoperative visit.

Can an assistant surgeon be reported?

CMS allows payment for an assistant at surgery. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation.

How are bilateral repairs handled?

For bilateral patellar tendon repairs, report modifier 50; CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.

What documentation supports primary repair?

Document the patellar tendon injury, laterality, and operative work showing primary repair. The record should distinguish this tendon repair from repair of a quadriceps or hamstring structure.

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 27380PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,862 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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