FeeBase
Log inGet started
Menu

Billing code 29835: Elbow arthroscopyMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports arthroscopic removal of part of the elbow’s inflamed synovial lining when the surgeon treats synovitis without performing a complete synovectomy.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities62 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $486.99 for 29835 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 29835

Elbow arthroscopy

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
6.45
Total RVUs
14.58
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$486.99

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 29835 → · 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 29835 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 29835 covers

The surgeon uses an arthroscope and instruments through small portals to remove a portion of abnormal synovial tissue inside the elbow joint. This procedure may be performed by an orthopedic surgeon in a hospital outpatient department or ambulatory surgery center for conditions such as symptomatic elbow synovitis. The operative report should identify the treated joint and describe the synovial tissue removed and the partial extent of the synovectomy.

Report this code when arthroscopy includes partial synovectomy; a diagnostic inspection alone or removal of non-synovial tissue is a different service. Documentation should support the operative work and distinguish a partial from a complete synovectomy. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When related endoscopies are performed together, endoscopy-family pricing applies. For bilateral surgery, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made; co-surgeon payment requires 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 29835 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

29835 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$439.01
Alaska*Unavailable$589.01
ArizonaUnavailable$473.43
ArkansasUnavailable$433.07
AtlantaUnavailable$500.38
AustinUnavailable$495.35
BakersfieldUnavailable$495.03
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$517.70
BeaumontUnavailable$463.41
BrazoriaUnavailable$476.68

29835 rates by state

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

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

Explore a state

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
29835 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 29835 rate is calculated

Each of 29835’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 · 29835

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 6.45Practice expense 6.77Malpractice 1.36

14.5800 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$486.99

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 29835

29835 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 29835

Elbow 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 · 29835

Elbow 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

29835 without 50 · national facility

$486.99

Elbow arthroscopy

29835-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$730.49

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

29835 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

29835 vs 29836 vs 29830 vs 29837 vs 29838: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 29835
    Elbow arthroscopy · 6.45 wRVU
    —
  • 29836
    Elbow arthroscopy · 7.53 wRVU
    —
  • 29830
    Elbow arthroscopy · 5.73 wRVU
    —
  • 29837
    Elbow arthroscopy · 6.83 wRVU
    —
  • 29838
    Elbow debridement · 7.68 wRVU
    —

How to choose

29836Elbow arthroscopy
Choose 29835 for partial synovial removal and 29836 when the surgeon performs a complete synovectomy.
29830Elbow arthroscopy
29830 represents diagnostic elbow arthroscopy; 29835 requires therapeutic removal of part of the synovial lining.
29837Elbow arthroscopy
29837 is for limited elbow debridement, not partial synovectomy. Select based on the tissue treated and work documented.
29838Elbow debridement
29838 describes extensive elbow debridement. It is not the code for partial removal of synovial tissue.

Codes related to 29835

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

Codes related to 29835
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
29836Elbow arthroscopyElbow arthroscopic complete synovectomy; distinguishes more extensive synovial removal.No office rate
Used instead
29830Elbow arthroscopyDiagnostic elbow arthroscopy when the procedure is inspection rather than therapeutic synovectomy.No office rate
29837Elbow arthroscopyElbow arthroscopic limited debridement when the treated tissue is not synovium.No office rate
29838Elbow debridementElbow arthroscopic extensive debridement rather than partial synovectomy.No office rate

29835 billing questions

How does partial synovectomy differ from complete synovectomy?

This code describes removal of part of the elbow synovium. Use 29836 when the surgeon performs a complete synovectomy.

Does diagnostic elbow arthroscopy support this code?

No. This code requires arthroscopic partial removal of synovial tissue; diagnostic inspection alone is represented by 29830.

Can debridement be reported as partial synovectomy?

Not solely because tissue was removed. The operative report must support partial removal of synovium; elbow debridement is described by 29837 or 29838 according to its extent.

What postoperative care is included?

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

How is bilateral elbow surgery handled under the CMS rule?

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

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be paid?

Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made. Co-surgeon payment requires 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 29835PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,331 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

Did this answer your question about what 29835 pays?

Tell us what you were actually trying to work out. We’ll answer you directly, or build the page that does.

Fee sheets

Put 29835 and the rest of your codes on one sheet

Build a fee sheet from your own code list at your locality, put your payer contracts beside Medicare, and see what changed each quarter.

Build my fee sheetOr price your code list free →