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Billing code 29838: Elbow debridementMedicare rate & RVUs

Report this code when an orthopedic surgeon performs extensive arthroscopic debridement of abnormal tissue within the elbow joint, beyond limited cleanup.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities582 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $558.46 for 29838 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 29838

Elbow debridement

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
7.68
Total RVUs
16.72
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$558.46

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 29838 → · 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 29838 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 29838 covers

An orthopedic surgeon uses an arthroscope and instruments passed through small incisions to remove substantial damaged or diseased tissue from inside the elbow joint. The procedure may address extensive cartilage or other tissue changes associated with elbow arthritis or injury. It is performed in an operating room, commonly in a hospital outpatient department or ambulatory surgery center, when the surgeon determines that arthroscopic treatment is appropriate.

Choose this code when the operative report supports extensive debridement rather than the limited work represented by 29837. Document the treated structures, location, and extent of tissue removal; the term “extensive” alone does not establish the service. 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 procedures, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. An assistant at surgery is paid only with medical-necessity documentation; 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 29838 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

29838 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$504.83
Alaska*Unavailable$679.91
ArizonaUnavailable$543.29
ArkansasUnavailable$498.19
AtlantaUnavailable$573.58
AustinUnavailable$567.64
BakersfieldUnavailable$567.27
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$593.05
BeaumontUnavailable$532.27
BrazoriaUnavailable$546.94

29838 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
29838 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 29838 rate is calculated

Each of 29838’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 · 29838

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 7.68Practice expense 7.50Malpractice 1.54

16.7200 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$558.46

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 29838

29838 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 29838

Elbow debridement

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)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 · 29838

Elbow debridement

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

29838 without 50 · national facility

$558.46

Elbow debridement

29838-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$837.69

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

29838 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

29838 vs 29837 vs 29834 vs 29835 vs 29830: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 29838
    Elbow debridement · 7.68 wRVU
    —
  • 29837
    Elbow arthroscopy · 6.83 wRVU
    —
  • 29834
    Elbow arthroscopy · 6.26 wRVU
    —
  • 29835
    Elbow arthroscopy · 6.45 wRVU
    —
  • 29830
    Elbow arthroscopy · 5.73 wRVU
    —

How to choose

29837Elbow arthroscopy
Both describe arthroscopic elbow debridement. Choose 29838 for extensive work and 29837 for limited work, as supported by the operative report.
29834Elbow arthroscopy
This code is for extensive debridement; 29834 is for arthroscopic removal of a loose body or foreign body.
29835Elbow arthroscopy
29835 describes partial synovectomy. Use 29838 for extensive debridement of abnormal tissue rather than synovial removal as the defining procedure.
29830Elbow arthroscopy
29830 is diagnostic elbow arthroscopy. Use 29838 when the surgeon performs extensive therapeutic debridement.

Codes related to 29838

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

Codes related to 29838
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
29837Elbow arthroscopyElbow arthroscopic debridement at a limited rather than extensive level.No office rate
Used instead
29834Elbow arthroscopyElbow arthroscopy focused on removal of a loose body or foreign body.No office rate
29835Elbow arthroscopyElbow arthroscopy directed to partial synovectomy rather than extensive debridement.No office rate
29836Elbow arthroscopyElbow arthroscopy directed to complete synovectomy rather than extensive debridement.No office rate
29830Elbow arthroscopyDiagnostic elbow arthroscopy when the encounter is diagnostic rather than therapeutic.No office rate

29838 billing questions

How do I choose between 29838 and 29837?

Use 29838 when the operative report supports extensive arthroscopic debridement. Use 29837 for limited debridement; document the treated areas and the extent of work rather than relying on the code label alone.

Does removal of a loose body point to this code?

When the operative objective is arthroscopic removal of a loose body or foreign body, compare 29834. The documentation should identify the actual work performed; do not infer extensive debridement from loose-body removal alone.

How does CMS price related endoscopies performed together?

CMS applies endoscopy family pricing when related endoscopies are performed together. This payment rule does not, by itself, determine which services are separately reportable.

Can I report modifier 50 for both elbows?

For a bilateral procedure, CMS pays modifier 50 at 150%. The record should support treatment of both elbows.

What postoperative care is included?

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

When is an assistant at surgery payable?

CMS pays an assistant at surgery only when documentation supports medical necessity. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted 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 29838PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,334 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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