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Billing code 29906: Subtalar arthroscopyMedicare rate & RVUs

Report this code when a surgeon uses subtalar arthroscopy to remove or clean abnormal tissue within the joint, such as synovial or fibrous tissue.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities160 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $625.93 for 29906 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 29906

Subtalar arthroscopy

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
9.41
Total RVUs
18.74
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$625.93

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 29906 → · 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 29906 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 29906 covers

An orthopedic foot and ankle surgeon typically performs this procedure in a hospital or ambulatory surgery center. Through small portals, the surgeon inspects the subtalar joint and debrides abnormal tissue, which may include inflamed synovium, scar tissue, or degenerative tissue contributing to pain or restricted motion. The operative report should identify the subtalar joint and describe the tissue treated and the arthroscopic work performed.

Select this code when debridement is the work performed, rather than loose-body removal, coalition excision, or fusion. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% 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 29906 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

29906 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$570.57
Alaska*Unavailable$776.04
ArizonaUnavailable$610.27
ArkansasUnavailable$563.72
AtlantaUnavailable$641.69
AustinUnavailable$635.50
BakersfieldUnavailable$635.96
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$662.42
BeaumontUnavailable$598.90
BrazoriaUnavailable$614.44

29906 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
29906 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 29906 rate is calculated

Each of 29906’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 · 29906

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 9.41Practice expense 7.74Malpractice 1.59

18.7400 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$625.93

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

Payment rules and modifiers for 29906

29906 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 29906

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 · 29906

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.

  • 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

29906 without 50 · national facility

$625.93

Subtalar arthroscopy

29906-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$938.89

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

29906 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

29906 vs 29904 vs 29905 vs 29907 vs 29897: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 29906
    Subtalar arthroscopy · 9.41 wRVU
    —
  • 29904
    Subtalar arthroscopy · 8.43 wRVU
    —
  • 29905
    Subtalar arthroscopy · 8.95 wRVU
    —
  • 29907
    Subtalar fusion · 11.88 wRVU
    —
  • 29897
    Ankle arthroscopy · 7.14 wRVU
    —

How to choose

29904Subtalar arthroscopy
Choose 29906 for debridement of abnormal subtalar tissue. Choose 29904 when the arthroscopic work removes a loose body or foreign body.
29905Subtalar arthroscopy
29905 is for arthroscopic excision of a tarsal coalition; 29906 is for debridement within the subtalar joint.
29907Subtalar fusion
29907 reports subtalar arthroscopic fusion. Use 29906 when the procedure is debridement rather than fusion.
29897Ankle arthroscopy
29897 describes arthroscopic debridement of the ankle joint. The treated joint distinguishes it from subtalar debridement under 29906.

Codes related to 29906

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

Codes related to 29906
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
29904Subtalar arthroscopySubtalar arthroscopy for removal of a loose body or foreign body.No office rate
29905Subtalar arthroscopySubtalar arthroscopy for excision of a tarsal coalition.No office rate
29907Subtalar fusionSubtalar arthroscopy with fusion rather than debridement.No office rate
Used instead
29897Ankle arthroscopyArthroscopic debridement applies to the ankle joint, not the subtalar joint.No office rate

29906 billing questions

How is this code different from subtalar loose-body removal?

Use 29906 for arthroscopic debridement of abnormal tissue. Use 29904 when the documented work is removal of a loose body or foreign body.

When should 29905 be reported instead?

29905 describes arthroscopic excision of a tarsal coalition. Report 29906 when the subtalar work is debridement rather than coalition excision.

What should the operative note document?

Document that the subtalar joint was treated arthroscopically and describe the abnormal tissue debrided and the work performed.

Does this code have a postoperative global period?

Yes. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.

How is bilateral subtalar arthroscopy reported?

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

Can an assistant surgeon be paid?

CMS indicates that assistant-at-surgery payment may be made. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted 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 29906PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,384 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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