Billing code 28540: Tarsal dislocationMedicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $199.07 for 28540 nationally in the office and $171.01 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $179.01–$257.88.

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

What 28540 covers

This code describes closed treatment of a dislocated tarsal bone without manipulation. An orthopedist or podiatrist may manage an acute injury in an office, emergency department, or hospital by immobilizing the affected foot and directing follow-up care. The specific bone and dislocation should be documented; select a more specific code when the injury involves a separately classified joint, such as the talotarsal or tarsometatarsal joint.

Report the code when the clinician provides the definitive closed treatment and does not manipulate the dislocation. The record should identify the injury and affected bone, describe the treatment and immobilization, and support that no manipulation was performed. 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, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity; 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 28540 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

28540 rates by state

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

How the 28540 rate is calculated

Each of 28540’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 28540

28540 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 50

28540 compared with similar codes

How to choose

28545Foot dislocation

28545 describes closed treatment without manipulation of a tarsometatarsal joint dislocation. Use 28540 for a tarsal bone dislocation that is not classified under that joint code.

28546Tarsal dislocation

28546 is for a tarsometatarsal joint dislocation treated closed with manipulation. 28540 is for a tarsal bone dislocation treated without manipulation.

28555Foot dislocation repair

28555 is the open-treatment counterpart for a tarsal bone dislocation; 28540 describes closed treatment without manipulation.

28570Foot dislocation

28570 applies to a talotarsal joint dislocation treated closed without manipulation. Choose based on the documented anatomic injury.

Codes related to 28540

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