Billing code 28262: Midfoot releaseMedicare rate & RVUs

Report this procedure for an extensive surgical release of contracted midfoot structures, such as correction of a rigid residual clubfoot deformity.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities265 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $1,480.33 for 28262 nationally in the office and $1,033.76 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $1,313.86–$1,851.72.

Medicare rate · 28262

Midfoot release

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
16.78
Total RVUs
44.32
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$1,480.33

Office setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 28262 → · 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 28262 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 28262 covers

This operation releases tight soft tissues around the midfoot joints to improve a fixed deformity or restricted position. An orthopedic foot and ankle surgeon or podiatric surgeon may perform it in an operating room, including for a rigid residual deformity after clubfoot treatment. The operative report should identify the midfoot joints and contracted structures addressed and describe why the release was extensive rather than a more limited capsular release.

Report 28262 when the documented work supports an extensive midfoot release; do not select it solely because the procedure is described generally as a foot release. The service has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple procedure reduction. For bilateral work, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. 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 28262 pays more and less

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

109 payment localities

$1313.86 to $1851.72

$1313.86$1582.79$1851.72
One dot per payment locality, office / nonfacility. Hover a dot to see the locality; select it to open that rate.

109 of 109 payment localities

28262 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
Alabama$1,332.32$941.57
Alaska*$1,765.41$1,289.82
Arizona$1,439.73$1,007.01
Arkansas$1,313.86$930.26
Atlanta$1,516.50$1,062.79
Austin$1,516.42$1,043.95
Bakersfield$1,527.23$1,037.79
Baltimore/Surr. Cntys$1,573.97$1,094.80
Beaumont$1,399.57$993.19
Brazoria$1,453.98$1,011.43

28262 rates by state

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

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.

$1,313.86

$1,765.41

Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.

View every state and territory as a table
28262 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$1,765.411
AL$1,332.321
AR$1,313.861
AZ$1,439.731
CA$1,518.31–$1,851.7229
CO$1,515.681
CT$1,576.581
DC$1,667.381
DE$1,462.581
FL$1,498.32–$1,677.083
GA$1,413.05–$1,516.502
GU$1,546.711
HI$1,546.711
IA$1,346.771
ID$1,358.961
IL$1,469.77–$1,626.734
IN$1,366.041
KS$1,349.271
KY$1,381.001
LA$1,382.35–$1,446.902
MA$1,510.69–$1,649.272
MD$1,486.92–$1,667.383
ME$1,374.89–$1,433.572
MI$1,423.39–$1,525.202
MN$1,428.661
MO$1,365.36–$1,441.523
MS$1,339.431
MT$1,480.111
NC$1,387.271
ND$1,416.841
NE$1,351.251
NH$1,500.301
NJ$1,587.91–$1,652.982
NM$1,434.331
NV$1,463.291
NY$1,407.93–$1,761.455
OH$1,410.451
OK$1,369.501
OR$1,445.33–$1,552.172
PA$1,407.79–$1,544.382
PR$1,487.671
RI$1,506.261
SC$1,402.511
SD$1,409.361
TN$1,356.861
TX$1,399.57–$1,519.318
UT$1,420.651
VA$1,435.08–$1,667.382
VI$1,487.671
VT$1,419.401
WA$1,505.16–$1,673.342
WI$1,372.221
WV$1,419.891
WY$1,452.541

How the 28262 rate is calculated

Each of 28262’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 · 28262

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 16.78Practice expense 24.34Malpractice 3.20

44.3200 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$1,480.33

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 28262

28262 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 28262

Midfoot release

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 · 28262

Midfoot release

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

28262 without 50 · national office

$1,480.33

Midfoot release

28262-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$2,220.50

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

28262 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

28262 vs 28260 vs 28264 vs 28272: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 28262
    Midfoot release · 16.78 wRVU
    $1,480.33
  • 28260
    Midfoot release · 7.99 wRVU
    $758.20−$722.13
  • 28264
    Midfoot release · 10.38 wRVU
    $959.61−$520.72
  • 28272
    Toe joint release · 3.82 wRVU
    $377.10−$1,103.23

How to choose

28260Midfoot release
Use 28260 for a less extensive midfoot capsular release. Choose 28262 when the operative work documents an extensive release.
28264Midfoot release
Both codes concern midfoot release procedures, but they represent distinct billing code definitions. Match the code to the specific procedure documented rather than relying on a general description of midfoot release.
28272Toe joint release
28272 addresses release at a toe joint. 28262 is for extensive release involving the midfoot.

28262 billing questions

How is 28262 distinguished from 28260?

28262 is for an extensive midfoot release. Use 28260 when the documented midfoot capsular release is less extensive.

What documentation supports reporting 28262?

Document the affected midfoot joints, the contracted structures released, the extent of the release, and the fixed deformity or restriction being treated.

Can modifier 50 be reported for bilateral surgery?

CMS identifies this as a bilateral procedure; bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%.

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.

How are assistant or co-surgeon services handled?

Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; team surgery is not permitted.

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 28262PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,163 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

Did this answer your question about what 28262 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 28262 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 →