Billing code 28022: Joint explorationMedicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $497.67 for 28022 nationally in the office and $313.97 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $443.27–$648.99.

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

What 28022 covers

This code covers open access to a metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint for exploration, drainage, or removal of a loose or foreign body. It may be used for an MTP joint at the base of a toe when operative evaluation or one of these treatments is performed. Orthopedic foot and ankle surgeons and podiatric surgeons typically perform the procedure in an operating room or another surgical setting.

Report the code for the MTP joint work documented in the operative note; include the specific joint, the reason for opening it, and the findings and actions taken. Exploration, drainage, and removal of a loose or foreign body are part of this service, rather than separate services for the same joint work. 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% multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate; assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted, and co-surgeons and team surgery are 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 28022 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

28022 rates by state

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

How the 28022 rate is calculated

Each of 28022’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 28022

28022 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 51

28022 compared with similar codes

How to choose

28020Foot joint arthrotomy

The joint location determines the choice: 28020 covers an intertarsal or tarsometatarsal joint, while 28022 covers an MTP joint.

28024Toe joint exploration

Use 28024 for an interphalangeal joint within a toe; use 28022 for the MTP joint at the toe's base.

28052Joint biopsy

Code 28052 describes MTP arthrotomy with biopsy. Choose it when joint access is performed to obtain a biopsy rather than for the exploration, drainage, or removal work described by 28022.

Codes related to 28022

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