Billing code 28505: Toe fracture surgeryMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports open surgical treatment of a great toe phalanx fracture, with internal fixation included when performed as part of the procedure.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities417 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $668.35 for 28505 nationally in the office and $470.62 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $597.34–$854.62.

Medicare rate · 28505

Toe fracture surgery

Work RVUs
7.25
Total RVUs
20.01
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$668.35

Office setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 28505 →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 28505 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 28505 covers

This code describes open treatment of a fracture in one or more phalanges of the great toe. The surgeon accesses the fracture site to reduce and treat the bone; internal fixation is included when performed. It applies to surgical treatment of the great toe, not to a fracture that is merely open through the skin. Orthopedic foot and ankle surgeons and podiatric surgeons commonly perform the service in an operating room or other surgical setting.

Report the code when the operative record supports open treatment of a great toe phalanx fracture. Documentation should identify the affected toe and fracture, describe the open treatment, and record fixation if used. The service has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in one session, Medicare pays the highest-valued procedure in full and other procedures at 50%. When both sides are treated, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery; 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 28505 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

$597.34 to $854.62

$597.34$725.98$854.62
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

28505 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
Alabama$605.27$432.26
Alaska*$800.82$590.24
Arizona$651.55$459.95
Arkansas$597.34$427.49
Atlanta$681.77$480.87
Austin$688.10$478.90
Bakersfield$698.41$481.70
Baltimore/Surr. Cntys$708.54$496.37
Beaumont$630.60$450.66
Brazoria$659.76$463.80

28505 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.

$597.34

$800.82

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

View every state and territory as a table
28505 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$800.821
AL$605.271
AR$597.341
AZ$651.551
CA$695.61–$854.6229
CO$689.551
CT$710.231
DC$755.231
DE$661.621
FL$666.96–$733.043
GA$631.84–$681.772
GU$709.031
HI$709.031
IA$615.691
ID$620.071
IL$651.90–$713.114
IN$623.251
KS$614.741
KY$621.871
LA$621.66–$649.392
MA$686.69–$751.322
MD$672.91–$755.233
ME$624.80–$653.092
MI$638.13–$676.312
MN$657.451
MO$613.09–$649.483
MS$605.241
MT$668.291
NC$630.471
ND$649.501
NE$618.241
NH$680.561
NJ$717.41–$748.882
NM$641.991
NV$663.451
NY$639.20–$785.605
OH$634.291
OK$619.071
OR$657.35–$707.892
PA$634.26–$695.012
PR$672.221
RI$682.541
SC$633.611
SD$647.281
TN$617.761
TX$630.60–$688.108
UT$641.451
VA$652.32–$755.232
VI$672.221
VT$648.731
WA$684.82–$764.202
WI$629.831
WV$630.351
WY$660.101

How the 28505 rate is calculated

Each of 28505’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 · 28505

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Work7.25

7.25 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense11.81

11.81 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.95

0.95 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

20.0100

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$668.35

Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 28505

28505 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 28505

Toe fracture surgery

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)1Not paid (statutory restriction).
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
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 · 28505

Toe fracture surgery

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.

  • 24Unrelated E/M visit by the same physician
  • 79Unrelated procedure (starts its own global period)
  • 58Staged, more extensive, or therapy procedure that was planned
  • 78Unplanned 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

28505 without 50 · national office

$668.35

Toe fracture surgery

28505-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$1,002.53

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

28505 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

  • 28505

    Toe fracture surgery7.25 wRVU

    $668.35

  • 28490

    Toe fracture care1.14 wRVU

    $158.65−$509.70

  • 28495

    Toe fracture treatment1.64 wRVU

    $195.73−$472.62

  • 28525

    Toe fracture repair5.48 wRVU

    $573.49−$94.86

How to choose

28490Toe fracture care
28490 is for closed treatment of a great toe phalanx fracture without manipulation. Use 28505 when the fracture receives open surgical treatment.
28495Toe fracture treatment
28495 describes closed treatment of a great toe phalanx fracture with manipulation; 28505 describes open surgical treatment.
28525Toe fracture repair
28525 is open treatment for a phalanx fracture in a toe other than the great toe. Code 28505 is specific to the great toe.

28505 billing questions

Does open treatment mean the fracture had an open wound?

No. Here, open treatment refers to surgical access to the fracture; it does not by itself mean the fracture was open through the skin.

How does this differ from closed treatment with manipulation?

Use this code for open surgical treatment of a great toe phalanx fracture. Closed treatment with manipulation is represented by 28495.

Is internal fixation separately reported?

Internal fixation is included when performed as part of this fracture treatment; it is not separately reported as a separate service under this code.

What documentation supports the code?

The operative record should identify the great toe phalanx fracture and describe the open treatment performed, including any fixation used.

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.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code. Co-surgeons and team surgery are 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 28505PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,219 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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