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Billing code 29836: Elbow arthroscopyMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports arthroscopic removal of synovial tissue throughout the elbow joint when diffuse synovitis requires a complete rather than partial synovectomy.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities163 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $548.11 for 29836 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 29836

Elbow arthroscopy

Work RVUs
7.53
Total RVUs
16.41
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$548.11

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 29836 →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 29836 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 29836 covers

An orthopedic surgeon uses an arthroscope and instruments passed through small portals to remove synovial tissue throughout the elbow joint. The procedure treats diffuse synovial disease, such as persistent inflammatory or proliferative synovitis, when the operative work is a complete synovectomy rather than limited tissue removal. It is typically performed in a hospital outpatient department or ambulatory surgery center; Medicare reported facility services for this code in 2024.

Choose this code when the operative report supports synovectomy throughout the joint, not a partial synovectomy or debridement alone. Documentation should describe the synovial disease and extent of tissue removed. The service has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When related endoscopies are performed together, CMS applies endoscopy-family pricing. Modifier 50 identifies 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 29836 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

29836 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$496.07
Alaska*Unavailable$668.25
ArizonaUnavailable$533.44
ArkansasUnavailable$489.63
AtlantaUnavailable$562.57
AustinUnavailable$557.48
BakersfieldUnavailable$557.77
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$581.73
BeaumontUnavailable$522.33
BrazoriaUnavailable$537.23

29836 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
29836 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 29836 rate is calculated

Each of 29836’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 · 29836

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Work7.53

7.53 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense7.43

7.43 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice1.45

1.45 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

16.4100

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$548.11

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 29836

29836 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 29836

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 · 29836

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.

  • 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

29836 without 50 · national facility

$548.11

Elbow arthroscopy

29836-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$822.17

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

29836 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

5 codes, side by side

  • 29836

    Elbow arthroscopy7.53 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 29835

    Elbow arthroscopy6.45 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 29837

    Elbow arthroscopy6.83 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 29838

    Elbow debridement7.68 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 29830

    Elbow arthroscopy5.73 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

29835Elbow arthroscopy
29836 represents complete elbow synovectomy; 29835 is for partial synovectomy. Base the choice on the extent documented in the operative report.
29837Elbow arthroscopy
29837 describes limited arthroscopic elbow debridement, rather than complete synovial-tissue removal.
29838Elbow debridement
29838 describes extensive arthroscopic elbow debridement. Use 29836 when the operative service is complete synovectomy.
29830Elbow arthroscopy
29830 is diagnostic elbow arthroscopy. A documented therapeutic complete synovectomy is reported with 29836.

Codes related to 29836

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

Codes related to 29836
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
29835Elbow arthroscopyPartial elbow synovectomy; choose it when the documented synovectomy is not complete.No office rate
Used instead
29830Elbow arthroscopyDiagnostic elbow arthroscopy when no therapeutic synovectomy is performed.No office rate
29837Elbow arthroscopyElbow arthroscopic debridement is a different service from complete synovectomy.No office rate
29838Elbow debridementElbow arthroscopic debridement is selected for debridement work, not complete synovectomy.No office rate
29834Elbow arthroscopyElbow arthroscopic loose-body or foreign-body removal addresses a different operative objective.No office rate

29836 billing questions

How do I distinguish this code from 29835?

Use 29836 for complete synovectomy of the elbow and 29835 for partial synovectomy. The operative report should support the extent performed.

Can diagnostic elbow arthroscopy be reported separately?

Code 29830 describes diagnostic elbow arthroscopy. When a therapeutic synovectomy is performed, report the surgical service supported by the operative work rather than treating the diagnostic inspection as a separate procedure.

What payment rule applies when related endoscopies are performed together?

CMS applies endoscopy-family pricing when related endoscopies are performed together. The claim should reflect the procedures actually documented.

How is a bilateral procedure identified?

Use modifier 50 for a bilateral procedure; CMS pays it at 150%.

What postoperative care is included?

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

May an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

An assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeons are paid only with supporting documentation, and 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 29836PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,332 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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