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Billing code 29881: Knee meniscectomyMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports knee arthroscopy to remove torn meniscal tissue from either the medial or lateral meniscus, with related cartilage shaving included when performed.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities51.9K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $515.71 for 29881 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 29881

Knee meniscectomy

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
6.85
Total RVUs
15.44
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$515.71

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 29881 → · 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 29881 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 29881 covers

An orthopedic surgeon uses a camera and instruments inserted through small knee incisions to remove unstable torn tissue from the medial or lateral meniscus. This is typically performed for a symptomatic meniscal tear in a hospital outpatient department or ambulatory surgery center. Cartilage debridement or shaving performed during the procedure is included, whether in the same or another compartment.

Select this code when the operative report supports meniscectomy of one meniscus; trimming and suturing a tear are different services. Document the meniscus treated, the tissue removed, and any cartilage work. The CMS global period includes 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%. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity; 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 29881 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

29881 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$465.40
Alaska*Unavailable$624.72
ArizonaUnavailable$501.53
ArkansasUnavailable$459.17
AtlantaUnavailable$529.64
AustinUnavailable$524.77
BakersfieldUnavailable$524.83
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$547.98
BeaumontUnavailable$490.78
BrazoriaUnavailable$505.09

29881 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
29881 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 29881 rate is calculated

Each of 29881’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 · 29881

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 6.85Practice expense 7.19Malpractice 1.40

15.4400 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$515.71

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 29881

29881 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 29881

Knee meniscectomy

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 · 29881

Knee meniscectomy

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

29881 without 50 · national facility

$515.71

Knee meniscectomy

29881-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$773.57

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

29881 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

29881 vs 29880 vs 29882 vs 29883 vs 29877: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 29881
    Knee meniscectomy · 6.85 wRVU
    —
  • 29880
    Knee meniscectomy · 7.21 wRVU
    —
  • 29882
    Meniscus repair · 9.36 wRVU
    —
  • 29883
    Meniscus repair · 11.48 wRVU
    —
  • 29877
    Knee chondroplasty · 8.09 wRVU
    —

How to choose

29880Knee meniscectomy
Use 29880 when meniscectomy is performed on both the medial and lateral menisci; this code represents meniscectomy of either one.
29882Meniscus repair
Use 29882 when the surgeon arthroscopically repairs one meniscus. This code represents removal of torn meniscal tissue, not repair.
29883Meniscus repair
Use 29883 for arthroscopic repair of both menisci. This code is for meniscectomy of one meniscus.
29877Knee chondroplasty
Code 29877 describes cartilage debridement without the meniscectomy represented here; cartilage shaving performed during this procedure is included.

Codes related to 29881

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

Codes related to 29881
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
29880Knee meniscectomyMeniscectomy of both medial and lateral menisci, rather than one.No office rate
Used instead
29882Meniscus repairArthroscopic repair of one meniscus when the tear is sutured rather than resected.No office rate
29883Meniscus repairArthroscopic repair of both menisci rather than meniscectomy.No office rate
29870Knee arthroscopyDiagnostic knee arthroscopy when no surgical meniscectomy is performed.$529.87–$782.08

29881 billing questions

How does this differ from 29880?

This code is for meniscectomy of either the medial or lateral meniscus. Code 29880 is for meniscectomy of both menisci.

Is cartilage shaving separately reported?

Cartilage debridement or shaving performed during this meniscectomy is included, even when it is in a different compartment. Do not separately report 29877 for that work.

Should this code be used when the surgeon repairs the meniscus?

No. Use the applicable meniscal repair code when the surgeon sutures the tear rather than removing the torn tissue.

How is bilateral surgery reported?

For procedures on both knees, report modifier 50; CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.

What assistant and surgeon arrangements are payable?

Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity. CMS does not permit co-surgeons or team surgery for this code.

What does the global period include?

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

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 29881PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,362 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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