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Billing code 27443: Knee revisionMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports revision surgery on the knee joint, with the operative report identifying the revision work performed and the prior procedure or joint condition addressed.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities

Medicare pays $761.87 for 27443 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 27443

Knee revision

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
11.12
Total RVUs
22.81
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$761.87

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 27443 → · 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 27443 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 27443 covers

This code represents revision surgery involving the knee joint. Orthopedic surgeons perform these operations in an operating room when prior knee surgery or joint treatment requires revision; the reason may include problems such as loosening, wear, or instability. The operative report should identify the prior work, the current joint findings, and the revision steps performed. The code should not be selected from the word “revision” alone: distinguish it from codes that specifically describe revision of a total knee replacement by the components revised.

Report the service for the documented knee joint revision, using the procedure details to distinguish it from primary knee arthroplasty and more specifically defined revision procedures. This major surgery has 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-surgeons require 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 27443 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

27443 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$688.61
Alaska*Unavailable$932.27
ArizonaUnavailable$740.83
ArkansasUnavailable$679.59
AtlantaUnavailable$783.88
AustinUnavailable$771.65
BakersfieldUnavailable$767.86
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$809.30
BeaumontUnavailable$728.24
BrazoriaUnavailable$744.63

27443 rates by state

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

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

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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
27443 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 27443 rate is calculated

Each of 27443’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 · 27443

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 11.12Practice expense 9.32Malpractice 2.37

22.8100 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$761.87

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 27443

27443 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 27443

Knee revision

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 · 27443

Knee revision

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

27443 without 50 · national facility

$761.87

Knee revision

27443-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$1,142.81

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

27443 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

27443 vs 27486 vs 27487 vs 27447 vs 27446: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 27443
    Knee revision · 11.12 wRVU
    —
  • 27486
    Knee revision · 20.59 wRVU
    —
  • 27487
    Knee revision · 26.43 wRVU
    —
  • 27447
    Total knee replacement · 19.11 wRVU
    —
  • 27446
    Partial knee replacement · 16.7 wRVU
    —

How to choose

27486Knee revision
Use 27486 when the documented work revises one component of a total knee arthroplasty. This code is not defined by that one-component scope.
27487Knee revision
Use 27487 when both components of a total knee arthroplasty are revised. Do not infer that scope unless the operative report supports it.
27447Total knee replacement
Code 27447 describes primary total knee arthroplasty; this code is for revision surgery.
27446Partial knee replacement
Code 27446 describes arthroplasty of a single knee compartment. This code represents revision work rather than that compartment-specific arthroplasty.

Codes related to 27443

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

Codes related to 27443
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
27486Knee revisionSpecifically reports revision of one component of a total knee arthroplasty.No office rate
27487Knee revisionSpecifically reports revision of both components of a total knee arthroplasty.No office rate
27447Total knee replacementReports primary total knee arthroplasty rather than revision surgery.No office rate
27446Partial knee replacementReports arthroplasty limited to the medial or lateral knee compartment.No office rate

27443 billing questions

How is this code distinguished from 27486 or 27487?

Those codes specifically describe revision of a total knee arthroplasty based on whether one or both components are revised. Use this code only when the documented procedure matches its knee joint revision service rather than a more specifically defined total knee replacement revision.

Is this the code for a primary total knee replacement?

No. Code 27447 describes total knee arthroplasty; this code represents revision work. The operative report should support that the service is a revision rather than a primary replacement.

What documentation supports reporting this code?

Document the prior knee procedure or joint treatment, the current findings, and the specific revision work performed. Those details help distinguish this service from primary arthroplasty and revision codes defined by component count.

How does the 90-day global period affect postoperative billing?

The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included in the global period. The global period is tied to this major surgery.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

An assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeons are paid only when supporting documentation is submitted; team surgery is not permitted.

How are bilateral and same-session procedures handled?

Bilateral reporting with 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.

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 27443PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,897 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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