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Billing code 29846: Wrist arthroscopyMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports wrist arthroscopy to treat triangular fibrocartilage complex damage or debride the joint, including removal of unstable tissue or repair.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities2K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $487.99 for 29846 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 29846

Wrist arthroscopy

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
6.72
Total RVUs
14.61
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$487.99

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 29846 → · 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 29846 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 29846 covers

An orthopedic or hand surgeon uses a small camera and instruments through wrist portals to address a triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) tear or remove damaged or inflamed tissue within the joint. Typical cases include a symptomatic TFCC injury on the ulnar side of the wrist or other intra-articular pathology requiring arthroscopic debridement. The operation is generally performed in a surgical setting, with the operative report identifying the pathology and the work performed under visualization.

Report this code when the arthroscopic service includes TFCC excision or repair, or joint debridement, rather than diagnostic inspection alone or a different defined wrist procedure. Documentation should describe the treated structure, the tear or tissue abnormality, and whether tissue was removed, repaired, or debrided. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during that period. When related endoscopies are performed together, endoscopy-family pricing applies. For bilateral procedures, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. An assistant is paid only when medical necessity is documented; 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 29846 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

29846 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$441.73
Alaska*Unavailable$595.20
ArizonaUnavailable$474.95
ArkansasUnavailable$436.01
AtlantaUnavailable$500.85
AustinUnavailable$496.31
BakersfieldUnavailable$496.57
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$517.88
BeaumontUnavailable$465.09
BrazoriaUnavailable$478.32

29846 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
29846 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 29846 rate is calculated

Each of 29846’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 · 29846

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 6.72Practice expense 6.60Malpractice 1.29

14.6100 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$487.99

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 29846

29846 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 29846

Wrist 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)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 · 29846

Wrist 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

29846 without 50 · national facility

$487.99

Wrist arthroscopy

29846-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$731.99

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

29846 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

29846 vs 29840 vs 29844 vs 29847 vs 29843: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 29846
    Wrist arthroscopy · 6.72 wRVU
    —
  • 29840
    Wrist arthroscopy · 5.54 wRVU
    —
  • 29844
    Wrist arthroscopy · 6.35 wRVU
    —
  • 29847
    Wrist arthroscopy · 7.04 wRVU
    —
  • 29843
    Wrist arthroscopy · 6 wRVU
    —

How to choose

29840Wrist arthroscopy
29840 is for diagnostic wrist arthroscopy. Report 29846 when the surgeon performs qualifying TFCC treatment or joint debridement.
29844Wrist arthroscopy
29844 describes partial wrist synovectomy. Use 29846 for TFCC excision or repair, or joint debridement, rather than synovectomy alone.
29847Wrist arthroscopy
29847 is for wrist arthroscopy with internal fixation for fracture or instability. This code addresses TFCC treatment or joint debridement.
29843Wrist arthroscopy
29843 covers wrist arthroscopy for infection-related lavage and drainage; this code addresses TFCC pathology or joint debridement.

Codes related to 29846

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

Codes related to 29846
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
29840Wrist arthroscopyDiagnostic wrist arthroscopy; distinguishes inspection from the therapeutic work reported here.No office rate
29843Wrist arthroscopyWrist arthroscopy for infection-related lavage and drainage.No office rate
29844Wrist arthroscopyWrist arthroscopy with partial synovectomy.No office rate
29845Wrist arthroscopyWrist arthroscopy with complete synovectomy.No office rate
29847Wrist arthroscopyWrist arthroscopy involving internal fixation for fracture or instability.No office rate

29846 billing questions

When is this code appropriate instead of a diagnostic wrist arthroscopy?

Use this code when the surgeon performs arthroscopic TFCC excision or repair, or joint debridement. Diagnostic inspection without that therapeutic work is a different service.

Does this code cover wrist synovectomy?

The wrist arthroscopy family has separate codes for partial and complete synovectomy. Select the code that matches the synovectomy performed rather than treating synovectomy alone as TFCC treatment or joint debridement.

What should the operative report document?

Identify the TFCC or other joint tissue treated, the pathology found, and the arthroscopic work performed, such as repair, excision, or debridement.

How is a bilateral service reported under CMS rules?

For bilateral procedures, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. The operative record should support treatment of both wrists.

Can an assistant surgeon be paid for this procedure?

CMS pays an assistant at surgery only when documentation supports medical necessity. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.

What postoperative care is included?

This is major surgery with a 90-day global period. The day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during the 90 days are included.

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 29846PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,339 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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