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Billing code 29904: Subtalar arthroscopyMedicare rate & RVUs

Arthroscopic subtalar-joint removal of a loose body or foreign material is reported when a surgeon retrieves it through the scope during operative treatment.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities25 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $602.22 for 29904 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 29904

Subtalar arthroscopy

Work RVUs
8.43
Total RVUs
18.03
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$602.22

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 29904 →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 29904 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 29904 covers

An orthopedic surgeon, often specializing in foot and ankle surgery, uses an arthroscope and instruments to locate and remove a loose body or foreign material from the subtalar joint. The procedure is generally performed in an operating room, commonly in a facility setting. A patient may undergo it when an intra-articular fragment causes symptoms such as catching or restricted motion, but the operative report must support removal from the subtalar joint.

Report this code when the arthroscopic work includes removal of the material, rather than excision of tissue, debridement, or subtalar fusion. Documentation should identify the joint, the material removed, and the arthroscopic procedure performed. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery services may be paid; 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 29904 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

29904 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$543.77
Alaska*Unavailable$733.29
ArizonaUnavailable$585.56
ArkansasUnavailable$536.55
AtlantaUnavailable$619.19
AustinUnavailable$611.15
BakersfieldUnavailable$609.40
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$639.88
BeaumontUnavailable$574.49
BrazoriaUnavailable$589.04

29904 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
29904 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 29904 rate is calculated

Each of 29904’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 · 29904

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Work8.43

8.43 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense7.82

7.82 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice1.78

1.78 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

18.0300

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$602.22

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 29904

29904 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 29904

Subtalar 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 · 29904

Subtalar 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.

  • 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

29904 without 50 · national facility

$602.22

Subtalar arthroscopy

29904-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$903.33

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

29904 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

5 codes, side by side

  • 29904

    Subtalar arthroscopy8.43 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 29905

    Subtalar arthroscopy8.95 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 29906

    Subtalar arthroscopy9.41 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 29907

    Subtalar fusion11.88 wRVU

    Not priced

  • 29894

    Ankle arthroscopy7.17 wRVU

    Not priced

How to choose

29905Subtalar arthroscopy
29904 is for arthroscopic removal of a loose body or foreign material from the subtalar joint; 29905 is for subtalar arthroscopic excision.
29906Subtalar arthroscopy
29904 reports removal of a loose body or foreign material. Choose 29906 when the documented subtalar arthroscopic work is debridement.
29907Subtalar fusion
29904 reports removal of material from the subtalar joint. 29907 is the subtalar arthroscopy code for fusion.
29894Ankle arthroscopy
Both involve arthroscopic removal of loose material, but 29894 is for the ankle joint; 29904 is for the subtalar joint.

Codes related to 29904

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

Codes related to 29904
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
29905Subtalar arthroscopySubtalar arthroscopy with excision, rather than loose-body or foreign-material removal.No office rate
29906Subtalar arthroscopySubtalar arthroscopy for debridement.No office rate
29907Subtalar fusionSubtalar arthroscopy with fusion.No office rate
Used instead
29894Ankle arthroscopyArthroscopic loose-body removal in the ankle joint, rather than the subtalar joint.No office rate

29904 billing questions

How does this code differ from subtalar debridement?

Use 29904 when the arthroscopic work removes a loose body or foreign material. Subtalar debridement is reported with 29906 when the work is debridement rather than removal of that material.

How is removal distinguished from excision?

29904 describes arthroscopic removal of a loose body or foreign material from the subtalar joint. Code 29905 represents subtalar arthroscopic excision; select based on the work documented.

What documentation supports 29904?

The operative report should establish that the procedure involved the subtalar joint and describe the loose body or foreign material removed and the arthroscopic work performed.

Can this be reported for both feet?

CMS identifies bilateral reporting with modifier 50 and payment at 150%. The record should support the procedure on each side.

Can an assistant surgeon be paid for this procedure?

CMS permits payment for an assistant at surgery for 29904. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.

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 29904PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,382 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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