Billing code 28546: Tarsal dislocationMedicare rate & RVUs

Medicare pays $637.62 for 28546 nationally in the office and $357.72 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $555.31–$861.45.

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

What 28546 covers

This service covers stabilizing a dislocated tarsal bone with percutaneous skeletal fixation, such as pins or wires placed through the skin after reduction. Orthopedic foot and ankle surgeons and podiatric surgeons typically perform it in an operating room for an unstable tarsal dislocation that needs fixation. The code is not for a talotarsal dislocation or for a tarsometatarsal joint dislocation, which has distinct coding options.

Choose the code based on the affected joint and the treatment performed: percutaneous fixation supports 28546, while closed treatment with manipulation is reported with 28545. Document the specific tarsal bone and joint, the dislocation, the reduction and fixation method, and laterality. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For same-session multiple procedures, 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 28546 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

28546 rates by state

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

How the 28546 rate is calculated

Each of 28546’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 28546

28546 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

28546 compared with similar codes

How to choose

28540Tarsal dislocation

28540 covers closed treatment of a tarsal bone dislocation without anesthesia or manipulation; 28546 involves percutaneous skeletal fixation.

28545Foot dislocation

28545 is closed treatment with manipulation. Choose 28546 when the dislocated tarsal bone is stabilized by percutaneous skeletal fixation.

28555Foot dislocation repair

28555 is for open treatment of a tarsometatarsal joint dislocation. 28546 is for percutaneous fixation of a tarsal bone dislocation outside that joint group.

28576Foot dislocation

28576 addresses percutaneous fixation of an interphalangeal joint dislocation; 28546 concerns a tarsal bone dislocation.

Codes related to 28546

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