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Billing code 29888: ACL surgeryMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports arthroscopically assisted repair, augmentation, or reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament, typically for knee instability after an ACL injury.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities1.7K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $889.47 for 29888 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 29888

ACL surgery

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
13.94
Total RVUs
26.63
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$889.47

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 29888 → · 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 29888 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 29888 covers

An orthopedic surgeon uses arthroscopic visualization to repair, augment, or reconstruct the anterior cruciate ligament, commonly to address instability after an ACL tear. Reconstruction often uses a tendon graft, with the procedure performed in an operating room in a hospital or ambulatory surgery center. The operative report should identify the ACL procedure and describe the work performed; a diagnostic arthroscopy or treatment limited to a meniscal tear is not this service.

Report the code for the arthroscopically assisted ACL procedure, with documentation supporting the ligament treated and the operative technique. It has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. In a session with multiple procedures, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction. For bilateral performance, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeons are paid only with 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 29888 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

29888 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$808.20
Alaska*Unavailable$1,102.78
ArizonaUnavailable$865.98
ArkansasUnavailable$798.22
AtlantaUnavailable$914.58
AustinUnavailable$899.24
BakersfieldUnavailable$894.43
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$942.87
BeaumontUnavailable$853.06
BrazoriaUnavailable$870.07

29888 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
29888 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 29888 rate is calculated

Each of 29888’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 · 29888

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 13.94Practice expense 9.95Malpractice 2.74

26.6300 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$889.47

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 29888

29888 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 29888

ACL surgery

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)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 · 29888

ACL surgery

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

29888 without 50 · national facility

$889.47

ACL surgery

29888-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$1,334.21

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

29888 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

29888 vs 29889 vs 29882 vs 29883: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 29888
    ACL surgery · 13.94 wRVU
    —
  • 29889
    PCL surgery · 16.97 wRVU
    —
  • 29882
    Meniscus repair · 9.36 wRVU
    —
  • 29883
    Meniscus repair · 11.48 wRVU
    —

How to choose

29889PCL surgery
This code addresses the anterior cruciate ligament. Use 29889 for arthroscopically assisted treatment of the posterior cruciate ligament.
29882Meniscus repair
Code 29882 reports arthroscopic repair of a meniscus, not ACL treatment. A separately treated meniscal tear can be documented alongside an ACL procedure.
29883Meniscus repair
Code 29883 is for arthroscopic repair of both the medial and lateral menisci. It does not describe ACL repair or reconstruction.

Codes related to 29888

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

Codes related to 29888
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
29889PCL surgeryParallel arthroscopically assisted cruciate-ligament procedure, for the posterior rather than anterior ligament.No office rate
Often billed with
29882Meniscus repairMeniscal repair may be performed during the same knee arthroscopy for a separate tear.No office rate
29881Knee meniscectomyMeniscectomy may accompany ACL surgery when a distinct meniscal tear is treated.No office rate

29888 billing questions

How does this differ from code 29889?

Code 29888 is for arthroscopically assisted ACL treatment; 29889 is for the posterior cruciate ligament. The operative report should identify which ligament was treated.

Can a meniscal procedure be reported during the same session?

A distinct meniscal repair or meniscectomy may be performed with ACL surgery. Document the separate meniscal work; same-session procedures are subject to the multiple-procedure payment rule.

Does the 90-day global include routine postoperative care?

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

Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?

An assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeons are paid only when supporting documentation is provided; team surgery is not permitted.

How is bilateral ACL surgery handled?

For bilateral performance, modifier 50 is paid at 150% under the CMS rule supplied 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 29888PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,369 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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