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Billing code 29848: Carpal tunnel releaseMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports endoscopic division of the carpal tunnel roof to relieve median nerve compression, typically performed for symptomatic carpal tunnel syndrome.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities65.9K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $485.65 for 29848 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 29848

Carpal tunnel release

Work RVUs
6.23
Total RVUs
14.54
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$485.65

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 29848 →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 29848 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 29848 covers

The surgeon uses an endoscope and specialized instruments through a small wrist or palm incision to divide the transverse carpal ligament and relieve pressure on the median nerve. Orthopedic and hand surgeons commonly perform this operation in an ambulatory surgery center or hospital outpatient setting for patients with carpal tunnel syndrome when operative decompression is indicated.

Report 29848 for the endoscopic release, with the operative note identifying the approach and documenting completion of the ligament division. It represents the surgical service, not diagnostic wrist-joint arthroscopy. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, which includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When other procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code; 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 29848 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

29848 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$438.47
Alaska*Unavailable$586.96
ArizonaUnavailable$472.48
ArkansasUnavailable$432.61
AtlantaUnavailable$498.19
AustinUnavailable$495.21
BakersfieldUnavailable$496.57
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$515.87
BeaumontUnavailable$461.44
BrazoriaUnavailable$476.29

29848 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
29848 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 29848 rate is calculated

Each of 29848’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 · 29848

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Work6.23

6.23 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense7.10

7.10 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice1.21

1.21 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

14.5400

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$485.65

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 29848

29848 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 29848

Carpal tunnel release

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period090Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included.
Multiple procedures2Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%.
Bilateral (modifier 50)1Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)1Not paid (statutory restriction).
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 · 29848

Carpal tunnel release

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

29848 without 50 · national facility

$485.65

Carpal tunnel release

29848-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$728.48

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

29848 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

4 codes, side by side

  • 29848

    Carpal tunnel release6.23 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 64721

    Carpal tunnel release4.85 wRVU

    $482.64

  • 29840

    Wrist arthroscopy5.54 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 20526

    Injection0.92 wRVU

    $88.18

How to choose

64721Carpal tunnel release
Use 29848 for endoscopic carpal tunnel release and 64721 for open release. The operative approach distinguishes the codes.
29840Wrist arthroscopy
29840 is diagnostic wrist-joint arthroscopy. It does not describe endoscopic division of the carpal tunnel ligament.
20526Injection
20526 reports an injection into the carpal tunnel; 29848 is operative endoscopic decompression.

Codes related to 29848

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

Codes related to 29848
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Used instead
64721Carpal tunnel releaseOpen carpal tunnel release; report instead when the operative approach is open.$426.06–$612.23
20526InjectionCarpal tunnel injection is a nonsurgical treatment option, rather than operative decompression.$78.12–$111.81

29848 billing questions

How does 29848 differ from 64721?

29848 reports endoscopic carpal tunnel release. 64721 reports the open approach; select the code that matches the operative technique documented.

Is diagnostic wrist arthroscopy included in 29848?

No. 29848 describes endoscopic carpal tunnel decompression, not examination of the wrist joint. Code 29840 is for diagnostic wrist arthroscopy.

How should bilateral releases be reported?

Report bilateral surgery with modifier 50. CMS pays this code at 150% when billed bilaterally with that modifier.

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for 29848. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.

What documentation supports 29848?

Document the carpal tunnel indication, the endoscopic approach, and release of the transverse carpal ligament. The operative report should make clear that the service was carpal tunnel decompression rather than wrist-joint arthroscopy.

How does the 90-day global period affect postoperative visits?

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

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 29848PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,341 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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