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Billing code 29825: Shoulder arthroscopyMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports therapeutic shoulder arthroscopy to release or remove adhesions, commonly for a stiff shoulder when contracted tissue limits motion.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities2.9K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $553.45 for 29825 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 29825

Shoulder arthroscopy

Work RVUs
7.6
Total RVUs
16.57
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$553.45

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 29825 →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 29825 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 29825 covers

An orthopedic surgeon uses an arthroscope and instruments to release or remove adhesions within the shoulder joint. The procedure is commonly performed for adhesive capsulitis or persistent stiffness after prior shoulder surgery or injury. The surgeon may also manipulate the shoulder to improve motion; manipulation is optional to this service. It is performed in a surgical setting, including a hospital outpatient department or ambulatory surgery center.

Choose this code when arthroscopic treatment of adhesions is the principal work, and document the affected shoulder, the adhesions released or resected, and any manipulation performed. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When related endoscopies are performed together, CMS endoscopy-family pricing applies. Modifier 50 identifies bilateral surgery, paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery services may be paid; co-surgeons require 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 29825 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

29825 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$500.31
Alaska*Unavailable$673.76
ArizonaUnavailable$538.43
ArkansasUnavailable$493.74
AtlantaUnavailable$568.40
AustinUnavailable$562.61
BakersfieldUnavailable$562.31
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$587.71
BeaumontUnavailable$527.45
BrazoriaUnavailable$542.07

29825 rates by state

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

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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
29825 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 29825 rate is calculated

Each of 29825’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 · 29825

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Work7.60

7.60 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense7.45

7.45 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice1.52

1.52 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

16.5700

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$553.45

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 29825

29825 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 29825

Shoulder arthroscopy

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period090Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included.
Multiple procedures3Endoscopy family rules apply.
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 · 29825

Shoulder 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.

  • 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

29825 without 50 · national facility

$553.45

Shoulder arthroscopy

29825-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$830.18

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

29825 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

5 codes, side by side

  • 29825

    Shoulder arthroscopy7.6 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 29805

    Shoulder arthroscopy5.88 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 29822

    Shoulder debridement6.85 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 29823

    Arthroscopic debridement7.78 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 29806

    Shoulder stabilization14.76 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

29805Shoulder arthroscopy
Use 29805 for diagnostic shoulder arthroscopy without therapeutic work. Use 29825 when adhesions are released or removed arthroscopically.
29822Shoulder debridement
Code 29822 describes limited shoulder debridement. Adhesion release or resection, rather than limited tissue cleanup, supports 29825.
29823Arthroscopic debridement
Code 29823 describes extensive shoulder debridement. Choose 29825 when the operative work is arthroscopic release or removal of adhesions.
29806Shoulder stabilization
Code 29806 describes arthroscopic shoulder stabilization for instability. Code 29825 addresses adhesions restricting shoulder motion.

Codes related to 29825

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

Codes related to 29825
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Add-on codes
29826Shoulder decompressionAdd-on for shoulder arthroscopic decompression when the required decompression work is also performed.No office rate
Used instead
29805Shoulder arthroscopyDiagnostic arthroscopy is selected when the shoulder is examined without therapeutic adhesion release.No office rate
29822Shoulder debridementLimited debridement describes removal of limited abnormal tissue, not release of shoulder adhesions.No office rate
29823Arthroscopic debridementExtensive debridement is selected for extensive tissue debridement rather than adhesion release.No office rate

29825 billing questions

How does this differ from diagnostic shoulder arthroscopy?

This code represents therapeutic release or removal of adhesions. A diagnostic arthroscopy code is for examination when no therapeutic arthroscopic procedure is performed.

Is manipulation required?

No. The service may include manipulation, but arthroscopic adhesion release or resection is the defining work.

Can shoulder decompression be reported with this procedure?

Code 29826 is an add-on for eligible primary shoulder arthroscopy procedures, including this one, when decompression is also performed and documented.

How is bilateral surgery handled?

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

What documentation supports reporting this code?

Document the shoulder treated, the adhesions encountered, and the arthroscopic release or removal performed. Include manipulation if performed, but it is not required.

What postoperative care is included?

The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.

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 29825PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,325 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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