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Billing code 29800: Jaw arthroscopyMedicare rate & RVUs

Diagnostic temporomandibular joint arthroscopy evaluates the joint interior, with or without synovial biopsy, when direct visualization is needed.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities22 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $508.70 for 29800 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 29800

Jaw arthroscopy

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
6.67
Total RVUs
15.23
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$508.70

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 29800 → · 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 29800 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 29800 covers

The surgeon inserts an arthroscope into the temporomandibular joint to inspect its internal structures and assess abnormalities such as synovial changes or internal derangement. A synovial biopsy may be obtained during the examination. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons and other surgeons who treat TMJ disorders typically perform the procedure in a surgical facility; Medicare claims for this service in 2024 were reported in facility settings.

Report this code when the arthroscopy is diagnostic, whether or not synovial tissue is sampled. If the surgeon performs a therapeutic arthroscopic procedure on the joint, report the applicable surgical service rather than separately reporting the diagnostic examination. The record should support the indication for direct joint inspection and describe the findings and any biopsy. 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% reduction. 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 29800 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

29800 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$458.30
Alaska*Unavailable$614.29
ArizonaUnavailable$494.47
ArkansasUnavailable$452.07
AtlantaUnavailable$522.71
AustinUnavailable$517.57
BakersfieldUnavailable$517.28
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$540.91
BeaumontUnavailable$483.86
BrazoriaUnavailable$497.90

29800 rates by state

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

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

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Local rates. Clear comparisons.

Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.

View every state and territory as a table
29800 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AKNo published base rate1
ALNo published base rate1
ARNo published base rate1
AZNo published base rate1
CANo published base rate29
CONo published base rate1
CTNo published base rate1
DCNo published base rate1
DENo published base rate1
FLNo published base rate3
GANo published base rate2
GUNo published base rate1
HINo published base rate1
IANo published base rate1
IDNo published base rate1
ILNo published base rate4
INNo published base rate1
KSNo published base rate1
KYNo published base rate1
LANo published base rate2
MANo published base rate2
MDNo published base rate3
MENo published base rate2
MINo published base rate2
MNNo published base rate1
MONo published base rate3
MSNo published base rate1
MTNo published base rate1
NCNo published base rate1
NDNo published base rate1
NENo published base rate1
NHNo published base rate1
NJNo published base rate2
NMNo published base rate1
NVNo published base rate1
NYNo published base rate5
OHNo published base rate1
OKNo published base rate1
ORNo published base rate2
PANo published base rate2
PRNo published base rate1
RINo published base rate1
SCNo published base rate1
SDNo published base rate1
TNNo published base rate1
TXNo published base rate8
UTNo published base rate1
VANo published base rate2
VINo published base rate1
VTNo published base rate1
WANo published base rate2
WINo published base rate1
WVNo published base rate1
WYNo published base rate1

How the 29800 rate is calculated

Each of 29800’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 · 29800

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 6.67Practice expense 7.14Malpractice 1.42

15.2300 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$508.70

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 29800

29800 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 29800

Jaw arthroscopy

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)0Not paid without supporting documentation.
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 · 29800

Jaw arthroscopy

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

29800 without 50 · national facility

$508.70

Jaw arthroscopy

29800-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$763.05

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

29800 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

29800 vs 29804 vs 21060 vs 21240: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 29800
    Jaw arthroscopy · 6.67 wRVU
    —
  • 29804
    TMJ arthroscopy · 8.65 wRVU
    —
  • 21060
    TMJ meniscectomy · 10.79 wRVU
    —
  • 21240
    Jaw joint reconstruction · 15.67 wRVU
    —

How to choose

29804TMJ arthroscopy
29800 is for diagnostic TMJ inspection, with or without synovial biopsy. Use 29804 when therapeutic arthroscopic surgery is performed on the joint.
21060TMJ meniscectomy
21060 describes open TMJ meniscectomy. It is not the code for arthroscopic inspection or biopsy.
21240Jaw joint reconstruction
21240 describes TMJ arthroplasty, an open reconstructive operation. 29800 is a diagnostic arthroscopic examination.

Codes related to 29800

Related codes aren’t interchangeable: bill the code that matches the service performed.

Codes related to 29800
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
29804TMJ arthroscopyTherapeutic TMJ arthroscopy; report when arthroscopic surgery is performed.No office rate
Used instead
21060TMJ meniscectomyOpen TMJ meniscectomy, rather than arthroscopic diagnostic inspection.No office rate
21050CondylectomyOpen TMJ condylectomy for a different operative treatment.No office rate
21240Jaw joint reconstructionTMJ arthroplasty is an open reconstructive procedure, not diagnostic arthroscopy.No office rate

29800 billing questions

When should I report this instead of 29804?

Use 29800 for diagnostic inspection, with or without synovial biopsy. When the surgeon performs therapeutic arthroscopic surgery on the TMJ, report 29804 rather than separately reporting the diagnostic examination.

Is synovial biopsy separately reported?

The diagnostic arthroscopy includes the option of taking a synovial biopsy. Do not treat the biopsy as a separate arthroscopy service.

Can I report 29800 with a therapeutic TMJ arthroscopy on the same joint?

The diagnostic inspection is part of the therapeutic arthroscopic service when surgery is performed on that joint. Report the applicable surgical service, not a separate diagnostic arthroscopy for the same examination.

How is bilateral TMJ arthroscopy reported?

For bilateral services, report modifier 50; CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.

What documentation supports the service?

Document why direct arthroscopic inspection was performed, the joint findings, and whether synovial tissue was sampled. The record should make clear whether the service remained diagnostic or included therapeutic arthroscopic work.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Assistant-at-surgery payment is allowed only when medical necessity is documented. CMS does not permit co-surgeons or team surgery for this code.

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 29800PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,314 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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