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Billing code 29827: Rotator cuff repairMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports arthroscopic repair of a torn shoulder rotator cuff, typically performed by an orthopedic surgeon using sutures and anchors to secure the tendon.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities122.7K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $976.31 for 29827 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 29827

Rotator cuff repair

Work RVUs
15.2
Total RVUs
29.23
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$976.31

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 29827 →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 29827 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 29827 covers

An orthopedic surgeon performs this procedure through a shoulder arthroscope, repairing a torn rotator cuff tendon with sutures, often secured to the bone with anchors. It is commonly performed in a hospital outpatient department or ambulatory surgery center for patients whose shoulder tear is treated operatively. The operative report should establish that the surgeon repaired the cuff, rather than only inspecting the joint or removing damaged tissue.

Report the code for the arthroscopic cuff repair, with documentation identifying the treated shoulder, tear, and repair performed. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period: the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included. When related endoscopic procedures are performed together, endoscopy-family pricing applies. Modifier 50 is used for a bilateral procedure, paid at 150%. An assistant at surgery 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 29827 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

29827 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$886.25
Alaska*Unavailable$1,208.25
ArizonaUnavailable$950.27
ArkansasUnavailable$875.19
AtlantaUnavailable$1,004.18
AustinUnavailable$986.98
BakersfieldUnavailable$981.33
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$1,035.35
BeaumontUnavailable$936.07
BrazoriaUnavailable$954.66

29827 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
29827 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 29827 rate is calculated

Each of 29827’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 · 29827

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Work15.20

15.20 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense10.98

10.98 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice3.05

3.05 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

29.2300

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$976.31

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 29827

29827 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 29827

Rotator cuff repair

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 · 29827

Rotator cuff repair

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

29827 without 50 · national facility

$976.31

Rotator cuff repair

29827-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$1,464.47

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

29827 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

  • 29827

    Rotator cuff repair15.2 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 23412

    Rotator cuff repair11.63 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 29807

    Shoulder arthroscopy14.3 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 29828

    Biceps tenodesis12.83 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

23412Rotator cuff repair
23412 describes an open rotator cuff repair. Use 29827 when the cuff repair is performed arthroscopically.
29807Shoulder arthroscopy
29807 reports arthroscopic repair of a SLAP lesion, a labral injury, rather than repair of a rotator cuff tendon.
29828Biceps tenodesis
29828 reports arthroscopic biceps tenodesis. It may accompany a cuff repair, but it does not represent repair of the rotator cuff.

Codes related to 29827

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

Codes related to 29827
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Add-on codes
29826Shoulder decompressionAdd-on code for arthroscopic shoulder decompression performed with the cuff repair.No office rate
Often billed with
29828Biceps tenodesisArthroscopic biceps tenodesis may be performed during the same shoulder surgery.No office rate
29823Arthroscopic debridementArthroscopic extensive debridement may accompany cuff repair when separately reportable.No office rate
Used instead
23412Rotator cuff repairOpen repair code when the rotator cuff repair is performed through an open approach.No office rate

29827 billing questions

How is this different from an open rotator cuff repair?

Report 29827 when the cuff repair is performed arthroscopically. An open repair is reported with the applicable open repair code, such as 23412.

Can 29826 be reported with this repair?

29826 is an add-on code for arthroscopic shoulder decompression and may be reported with 29827 when the decompression is performed and documented. Endoscopy-family pricing applies when related endoscopies are performed together.

Does the 90-day global period include postoperative visits?

Yes. The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included in the global period.

What should the operative report document?

Document the shoulder treated, the rotator cuff tear, and the arthroscopic repair performed. The report should make clear that the surgeon repaired the tendon, not merely debrided tissue or treated a different shoulder lesion.

How is a bilateral repair reported?

Use modifier 50 for a bilateral procedure; Medicare pays the bilateral procedure at 150%. The documentation should support repair of both shoulders.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

An assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeons are paid only with supporting documentation; team surgery is 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 29827PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,327 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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