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Billing code 27535: Tibial plateau fractureMedicare rate & RVUs

Open operative treatment of a unicondylar proximal tibial plateau fracture, with internal fixation included when performed, is reported for the affected knee.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities3.1K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $815.32 for 27535 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 27535

Tibial plateau fracture

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
13.07
Total RVUs
24.41
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$815.32

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 27535 → · 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 27535 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 27535 covers

This service covers operative treatment of a fracture involving one condyle of the proximal tibial plateau. An orthopedic surgeon typically performs it in an operating room, exposing and treating the fracture; internal fixation is included when used. It is distinct from surgery for a bicondylar plateau fracture and from treatment of tibial spine or tuberosity fractures.

Report the code when the operative record supports open treatment and identifies the fracture as unicondylar. Document the affected side, fracture anatomy, operative approach, and fixation performed. 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%. Assistant-at-surgery and co-surgeon services may be paid; 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 27535 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

27535 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$739.59
Alaska*Unavailable$1,011.00
ArizonaUnavailable$793.19
ArkansasUnavailable$730.31
AtlantaUnavailable$839.68
AustinUnavailable$822.36
BakersfieldUnavailable$815.24
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$865.01
BeaumontUnavailable$782.97
BrazoriaUnavailable$796.02

27535 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
27535 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 27535 rate is calculated

Each of 27535’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 · 27535

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 13.07Practice expense 8.59Malpractice 2.75

24.4100 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$815.32

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 27535

27535 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 27535

Tibial plateau fracture

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)2Permitted.
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 · 27535

Tibial plateau fracture

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

27535 without 50 · national facility

$815.32

Tibial plateau fracture

27535-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$1,222.98

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

27535 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

27535 vs 27536 vs 27530 vs 27532 vs 27540: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 27535
    Tibial plateau fracture · 13.07 wRVU
    —
  • 27536
    Tibial plateau repair · 16.96 wRVU
    —
  • 27530
    Fracture treatment · 2.58 wRVU
    $349.04
  • 27532
    Fracture treatment · 7.36 wRVU
    $679.04
  • 27540
    Knee fracture repair · 11.02 wRVU
    —

How to choose

27536Tibial plateau repair
Choose 27535 for a unicondylar plateau fracture treated operatively; 27536 describes operative treatment of a bicondylar plateau fracture.
27530Fracture treatment
27530 is for closed treatment of a proximal tibial plateau fracture without manipulation. This code is for open operative treatment.
27532Fracture treatment
27532 describes closed treatment of a proximal tibial plateau fracture with manipulation; it is not the open operative service represented here.
27540Knee fracture repair
27540 concerns operative treatment of a tibial spine or knee tuberosity fracture. This code is for a unicondylar proximal tibial plateau fracture.

Codes related to 27535

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

Codes related to 27535
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
27536Tibial plateau repairOpen operative treatment for a bicondylar, rather than unicondylar, proximal tibial plateau fracture.No office rate
Used instead
27530Fracture treatmentClosed treatment of a proximal tibial plateau fracture without manipulation.$305.89–$458.67
27532Fracture treatmentClosed treatment of a proximal tibial plateau fracture with manipulation.$600.26–$850.96

27535 billing questions

How is this code distinguished from 27536?

This code is for open treatment of a unicondylar tibial plateau fracture. Use 27536 when the plateau fracture is bicondylar.

Can internal fixation be billed separately?

Internal fixation, when performed as part of this fracture treatment, is included in the service. The operative report should describe the fixation and fracture treatment.

How does this differ from 27530 or 27532?

Those codes describe closed treatment of a proximal tibial plateau fracture. This code applies when the fracture is treated operatively through an open approach.

What postoperative care is included?

The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.

How are additional procedures in the same session paid?

The highest-valued procedure is paid in full; other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction, with payment at 50%.

May an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

CMS permits payment for an assistant at surgery and for co-surgeons. Team surgery is not permitted for this code.

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 27535PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,941 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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