FeeBase
Log inGet started
Menu

Billing code 27536: Tibial plateau repairMedicare rate & RVUs

Open operative repair of a bicondylar tibial plateau fracture, reported when both condyles are treated through surgical exposure, with fixation when performed.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities2.9K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $1,090.87 for 27536 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 27536

Tibial plateau repair

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
16.96
Total RVUs
32.66
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$1,090.87

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 27536 → · 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 27536 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 27536 covers

This service involves surgically exposing and reducing a fracture that involves both the medial and lateral condyles of the tibial plateau. An orthopedic surgeon typically performs the repair in a hospital operating room, often using plates or screws to stabilize the fracture. Internal fixation is included when performed as part of the fracture treatment.

Report this code when the operative documentation supports a bicondylar tibial plateau fracture and open treatment. The record should identify the fracture pattern and describe the reduction and any fixation. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. In the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures at 50%. For bilateral reporting with modifier 50, payment is 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made; 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 27536 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

27536 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$988.17
Alaska*Unavailable$1,346.39
ArizonaUnavailable$1,061.03
ArkansasUnavailable$975.57
AtlantaUnavailable$1,123.21
AustinUnavailable$1,101.74
BakersfieldUnavailable$1,093.42
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$1,157.94
BeaumontUnavailable$1,045.96
BrazoriaUnavailable$1,065.31

27536 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
27536 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 27536 rate is calculated

Each of 27536’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 · 27536

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 16.96Practice expense 12.10Malpractice 3.60

32.6600 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$1,090.87

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 27536

27536 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 27536

Tibial plateau 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 · 27536

Tibial plateau 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

27536 without 50 · national facility

$1,090.87

Tibial plateau repair

27536-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$1,636.30

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

27536 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

27536 vs 27535 vs 27530 vs 27532: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

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

How to choose

27535Tibial plateau fracture
Use 27535 when the fracture is unicondylar. This code applies when the fracture involves both tibial plateau condyles.
27530Fracture treatment
27530 describes closed treatment without manipulation. Use this code for open operative treatment of a bicondylar fracture.
27532Fracture treatment
27532 describes closed treatment with manipulation. This code is for operative treatment requiring surgical exposure of a bicondylar fracture.

Codes related to 27536

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

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

27536 billing questions

How is this code distinguished from 27535?

This code is for a fracture involving both tibial plateau condyles. Code 27535 describes open treatment of a unicondylar tibial plateau fracture.

Can internal fixation be reported separately?

No separate fracture-treatment code is reported solely for fixation performed as part of this repair; plates or screws are included when used.

When does 27530 or 27532 apply instead?

Those codes describe closed treatment of a tibial plateau fracture. This code is for operative treatment through surgical exposure.

How does the bilateral rule affect reporting?

CMS pays a bilateral procedure reported with modifier 50 at 150%. The operative record should support treatment of both sides.

What postoperative care is included?

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

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 27536PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,942 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

Did this answer your question about what 27536 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 27536 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 →