FeeBase
Log inGet started
Menu

Billing code 29897: Ankle arthroscopyMedicare rate & RVUs

Reports arthroscopic, limited removal of diseased or obstructive tissue within the ankle joint, such as for localized impingement or synovial and scar tissue.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities856 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $464.94 for 29897 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 29897

Ankle arthroscopy

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
7.14
Total RVUs
13.92
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$464.94

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 29897 → · 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 29897 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 29897 covers

An orthopedic foot and ankle surgeon performs this procedure through small portals, using a camera and instruments to inspect and treat the ankle joint. The work is a limited debridement of tissue such as localized synovial or scar tissue, or unstable tissue contributing to impingement. It is typically performed in a surgical facility for a symptomatic ankle problem that warrants operative treatment; routine inspection during another arthroscopic procedure is not itself the service described by this code.

Choose this code when the operative report supports limited debridement, rather than a more extensive debridement or a separately defined procedure such as loose-body removal or partial synovectomy. Documentation should identify the treated tissue and location, the therapeutic work performed, and its extent. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple 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%. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made; 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 29897 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

29897 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$424.66
Alaska*Unavailable$578.99
ArizonaUnavailable$453.54
ArkansasUnavailable$419.68
AtlantaUnavailable$476.45
AustinUnavailable$471.89
BakersfieldUnavailable$472.34
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$491.64
BeaumontUnavailable$445.30
BrazoriaUnavailable$456.64

29897 rates by state

Office rate range in each state. Select a state to see its payment localities.

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

Explore a state

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
29897 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 29897 rate is calculated

Each of 29897’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 · 29897

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 7.14Practice expense 5.62Malpractice 1.16

13.9200 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$464.94

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 29897

29897 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 29897

Ankle arthroscopy

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)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 · 29897

Ankle 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

29897 without 50 · national facility

$464.94

Ankle arthroscopy

29897-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$697.41

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

29897 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

29897 vs 29898 vs 29895 vs 29894: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 29897
    Ankle arthroscopy · 7.14 wRVU
    —
  • 29898
    Ankle arthroscopy · 8.28 wRVU
    —
  • 29895
    Ankle arthroscopy · 6.95 wRVU
    —
  • 29894
    Ankle arthroscopy · 7.17 wRVU
    —

How to choose

29898Ankle arthroscopy
Both describe ankle arthroscopic debridement, but 29898 is for extensive work; 29897 is for limited work. Base the choice on the operative findings and documented extent.
29895Ankle arthroscopy
29895 identifies partial synovectomy. Use 29897 when the documented service is limited debridement rather than a partial synovectomy.
29894Ankle arthroscopy
29894 identifies arthroscopic removal of a loose body or foreign body. 29897 describes limited debridement, not removal as the defining service.

Codes related to 29897

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

Codes related to 29897
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
29898Ankle arthroscopyAnkle arthroscopic debridement at the extensive rather than limited extent.No office rate
29894Ankle arthroscopyAnkle arthroscopy directed at removal of a loose body or foreign body.No office rate
29895Ankle arthroscopyAnkle arthroscopy for partial synovectomy, a distinct synovial procedure.No office rate
29891Ankle arthroscopyAnkle arthroscopy addressing an osteochondral defect of the talus or tibia.No office rate

29897 billing questions

How is limited debridement distinguished from extensive debridement?

Use 29897 for limited ankle-joint debridement and 29898 when the documented debridement is extensive. The operative report should describe the treated tissue and scope of work.

Does removing a loose body support this code?

Loose-body or foreign-body removal is a distinct arthroscopic service, represented by 29894. Document the actual procedure performed rather than treating removal as limited debridement.

Is routine tissue cleanup during another ankle arthroscopy separately reportable?

Routine work integral to the principal arthroscopic procedure does not by itself establish a separate limited debridement service. The record should identify distinct therapeutic debridement and its extent.

What documentation supports 29897?

Record the ankle-joint tissue treated, the reason for debridement, the arthroscopic work performed, and why its extent was limited rather than extensive.

How does the bilateral rule affect reporting?

CMS pays bilateral reporting with modifier 50 at 150%. The code also has a 90-day global period, and same-session multiple procedures are subject to the standard reduction.

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 29897PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,376 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

Did this answer your question about what 29897 pays?

Tell us what you were actually trying to work out. We’ll answer you directly, or build the page that does.

Fee sheets

Put 29897 and the rest of your codes on one sheet

Build a fee sheet from your own code list at your locality, put your payer contracts beside Medicare, and see what changed each quarter.

Build my fee sheetOr price your code list free →