No office rate
26540 describes direct collateral ligament repair. Report 26545 when the surgeon reconstructs the ligament using graft tissue.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
26545 in El Centro
Office / nonfacility
Not available in this setting
Base rate per service
Facility setting
$732.77
Base rate per service
Amounts below use the non-QP conversion factor for participating physicians. These are base physician payments before claim-level adjustments, not patient costs or total hospital charges.
Hand surgery
About 26545: Finger joint ligament reconstruction with graft
Reconstructs a finger joint’s stabilizing ligament with graft tissue when damaged ligament cannot provide adequate support, such as in persistent joint instability.
The surgeon reconstructs a stabilizing ligament at a finger joint using graft tissue when the existing ligament is deficient or unsuitable for a straightforward repair. This may be considered for persistent instability after an injury, including cases in which damaged ligament tissue cannot hold a direct repair. A hand or orthopedic surgeon typically performs the procedure in an operating room, with the operative report identifying the joint, the ligament addressed, and the graft used or obtained.
Report this service when the operative work supports ligament reconstruction with graft, rather than direct ligament repair or a joint replacement or fusion. Documentation should describe the instability or ligament deficiency, the reconstruction performed, and the graft. CMS classifies the procedure as major surgery with 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 others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 26545
- Global period
- Major surgery with a 90-day global period: the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included.
- Multiple procedures
- Standard multiple procedure reduction: the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50% when performed in the same session.
- Bilateral procedures
- Bilateral adjustment does not apply; the descriptor or anatomy makes modifier 50 inappropriate.
- Assistant at surgery
- Assistant at surgery is paid only with documentation of medical necessity.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons not permitted.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU6.93 · 33%
- Practice expense (office) RVU12.94 · 61%
- Malpractice RVU1.31 · 6%
118
Medicare services in 2024 · #4751 by national volume
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.
26545 compared with similar codes
Office rates for El Centro, from the same CMS release.
No office rate
26541 is a ligament repair involving a tendon graft; distinguish it from the reconstruction performed for this code by the operative technique documented.
No office rate
26530 is arthroplasty of a metacarpophalangeal joint. It addresses the joint with an arthroplasty procedure, not ligament reconstruction.
The same code, a different location
How does El Centro compare?
26545 across payment areas
Same release and payment basis · bars start at $0
El Centro · This locality
Unavailable
Unavailable
No comparable rate is available in this setting.
Unavailable
No comparable rate is available in this setting.
Unavailable
No comparable rate is available in this setting.
Unavailable
No comparable rate is available in this setting.
No comparable rate is available in this setting.
Unavailable
No comparable rate is available in this setting.
Other payment areas listed in California appear first, followed by selected cross-country examples. The chart compares amounts, not distance.
The code’s RVUs stay the same in these comparisons. Geographic adjustments to work, practice expense and malpractice change the dollar amount. A city name alone may not identify the payment area for a service address.
Compare all 108 other payment areas
Merced
California · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$732.56
No comparable office rate is available.
Modesto
California · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$732.56
No comparable office rate is available.
Napa
California · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$837.93
No comparable office rate is available.
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura
California · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$776.08
No comparable office rate is available.
Redding
California · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$732.56
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of California
California · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$732.56
No comparable office rate is available.
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
California · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$746.66
No comparable office rate is available.
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom
California · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$765.91
No comparable office rate is available.
Salinas
California · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$763.03
No comparable office rate is available.
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
California · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$779.05
No comparable office rate is available.
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (Marin Cnty)
California · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$882.95
No comparable office rate is available.
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (San Francisco/San Mateo/Alameda/Contra Costa Cnty)
California · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$881.47
No comparable office rate is available.
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty)
California · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$903.63
No comparable office rate is available.
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (Santa Clara Cnty)
California · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$897.54
No comparable office rate is available.
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles
California · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$751.14
No comparable office rate is available.
Santa Cruz-Watsonville
California · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$784.91
No comparable office rate is available.
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
California · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$765.36
No comparable office rate is available.
Santa Rosa-Petaluma
California · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$792.62
No comparable office rate is available.
Stockton
California · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$732.56
No comparable office rate is available.
Vallejo
California · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$835.78
No comparable office rate is available.
Visalia
California · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$732.56
No comparable office rate is available.
Yuba City
California · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$732.56
No comparable office rate is available.
Dc + Md/Va Suburbs
District of Columbia · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$801.81
No comparable office rate is available.
Miami
Florida · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$792.05
No comparable office rate is available.
Chicago
Illinois · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$767.88
No comparable office rate is available.
Manhattan
New York · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$817.90
No comparable office rate is available.
Alaska*
Alaska · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$831.61
No comparable office rate is available.
Alabama
Alabama · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$634.42
No comparable office rate is available.
Arkansas
Arkansas · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$625.27
No comparable office rate is available.
Arizona
Arizona · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$687.73
No comparable office rate is available.
Colorado
Colorado · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$728.29
No comparable office rate is available.
Connecticut
Connecticut · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$754.53
No comparable office rate is available.
Delaware
Delaware · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$698.98
No comparable office rate is available.
Fort Lauderdale
Florida · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$748.40
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Florida
Florida · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$710.42
No comparable office rate is available.
Atlanta
Georgia · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$723.84
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Georgia
Georgia · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$669.15
No comparable office rate is available.
Hawaii, Guam
Hawaii · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$748.22
No comparable office rate is available.
Iowa
Iowa · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$644.31
No comparable office rate is available.
Idaho
Idaho · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$649.80
No comparable office rate is available.
East St. Louis
Illinois · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$717.22
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Illinois
Illinois · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$694.46
No comparable office rate is available.
Suburban Chicago
Illinois · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$754.50
No comparable office rate is available.
Indiana
Indiana · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$653.39
No comparable office rate is available.
Kansas
Kansas · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$644.24
No comparable office rate is available.
Kentucky
Kentucky · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$655.74
No comparable office rate is available.
New Orleans
Louisiana · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$687.88
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Louisiana
Louisiana · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$655.89
No comparable office rate is available.
Metropolitan Boston
Massachusetts · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$795.96
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Massachusetts
Massachusetts · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$725.16
No comparable office rate is available.
Baltimore/Surr. Cntys
Maryland · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$753.06
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Maryland
Maryland · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$711.34
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Maine
Maine · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$656.31
No comparable office rate is available.
Southern Maine
Maine · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$687.40
No comparable office rate is available.
Detroit
Michigan · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$722.32
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Michigan
Michigan · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$675.47
No comparable office rate is available.
Minnesota
Minnesota · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$689.16
No comparable office rate is available.
Metropolitan Kansas City
Missouri · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$680.06
No comparable office rate is available.
Metropolitan St. Louis
Missouri · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$686.77
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Missouri
Missouri · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$646.65
No comparable office rate is available.
Mississippi
Mississippi · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$635.93
No comparable office rate is available.
Montana**
Montana · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$707.34
No comparable office rate is available.
North Carolina
North Carolina · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$662.68
No comparable office rate is available.
North Dakota**
North Dakota · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$681.44
No comparable office rate is available.
Nebraska
Nebraska · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$646.94
No comparable office rate is available.
New Hampshire
New Hampshire · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$719.68
No comparable office rate is available.
Northern Nj
New Jersey · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$794.14
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of New Jersey
New Jersey · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$760.70
No comparable office rate is available.
New Mexico
New Mexico · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$680.35
No comparable office rate is available.
Nevada**
Nevada · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$700.56
No comparable office rate is available.
Nyc Suburbs/Long Island
New York · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$841.43
No comparable office rate is available.
Poughkpsie/N Nyc Suburbs
New York · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$768.10
No comparable office rate is available.
Queens
New York · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$820.25
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of New York
New York · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$672.83
No comparable office rate is available.
Ohio
Ohio · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$670.18
No comparable office rate is available.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$651.43
No comparable office rate is available.
Portland
Oregon · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$747.91
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Oregon
Oregon · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$692.71
No comparable office rate is available.
Metropolitan Philadelphia
Pennsylvania · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$737.76
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$669.58
No comparable office rate is available.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$711.53
No comparable office rate is available.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$721.37
No comparable office rate is available.
South Carolina
South Carolina · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$668.02
No comparable office rate is available.
South Dakota**
South Dakota · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$678.38
No comparable office rate is available.
Tennessee
Tennessee · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$647.84
No comparable office rate is available.
Austin
Texas · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$727.97
No comparable office rate is available.
Beaumont
Texas · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$665.43
No comparable office rate is available.
Brazoria
Texas · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$695.77
No comparable office rate is available.
Dallas
Texas · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$701.57
No comparable office rate is available.
Fort Worth
Texas · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$697.82
No comparable office rate is available.
Galveston
Texas · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$698.73
No comparable office rate is available.
Houston
Texas · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$722.71
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Texas
Texas · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$681.14
No comparable office rate is available.
Utah
Utah · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$677.04
No comparable office rate is available.
Virginia
Virginia · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$687.22
No comparable office rate is available.
Virgin Islands
United States Virgin Islands · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$711.53
No comparable office rate is available.
Vermont
Vermont · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$681.49
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Washington
Washington · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$722.89
No comparable office rate is available.
Seattle (King Cnty)
Washington · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$809.11
No comparable office rate is available.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$659.00
No comparable office rate is available.
West Virginia
West Virginia · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$669.67
No comparable office rate is available.
Wyoming**
Wyoming · 26545
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$696.05
No comparable office rate is available.
See how rates vary across the country
26545 · Office / nonfacility · Non-QP. Choose a state to explore its payment localities. A range means the amount varies within that state.
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 all state and territory rates as a table
| State / territory | Rate range | Localities |
|---|---|---|
| AK | No published base rate | 1 |
| AL | No published base rate | 1 |
| AR | No published base rate | 1 |
| AZ | No published base rate | 1 |
| CA | No published base rate | 29 |
| CO | No published base rate | 1 |
| CT | No published base rate | 1 |
| DC | No published base rate | 1 |
| DE | No published base rate | 1 |
| FL | No published base rate | 3 |
| GA | No published base rate | 2 |
| GU | No published base rate | 1 |
| HI | No published base rate | 1 |
| IA | No published base rate | 1 |
| ID | No published base rate | 1 |
| IL | No published base rate | 4 |
| IN | No published base rate | 1 |
| KS | No published base rate | 1 |
| KY | No published base rate | 1 |
| LA | No published base rate | 2 |
| MA | No published base rate | 2 |
| MD | No published base rate | 3 |
| ME | No published base rate | 2 |
| MI | No published base rate | 2 |
| MN | No published base rate | 1 |
| MO | No published base rate | 3 |
| MS | No published base rate | 1 |
| MT | No published base rate | 1 |
| NC | No published base rate | 1 |
| ND | No published base rate | 1 |
| NE | No published base rate | 1 |
| NH | No published base rate | 1 |
| NJ | No published base rate | 2 |
| NM | No published base rate | 1 |
| NV | No published base rate | 1 |
| NY | No published base rate | 5 |
| OH | No published base rate | 1 |
| OK | No published base rate | 1 |
| OR | No published base rate | 2 |
| PA | No published base rate | 2 |
| PR | No published base rate | 1 |
| RI | No published base rate | 1 |
| SC | No published base rate | 1 |
| SD | No published base rate | 1 |
| TN | No published base rate | 1 |
| TX | No published base rate | 8 |
| UT | No published base rate | 1 |
| VA | No published base rate | 2 |
| VI | No published base rate | 1 |
| VT | No published base rate | 1 |
| WA | No published base rate | 2 |
| WI | No published base rate | 1 |
| WV | No published base rate | 1 |
| WY | No published base rate | 1 |
Where does this rate apply?
El Centro is a Medicare payment area. Our Census mapping connects it to 18 cities and communities in California, including the examples shown here.
Some communities span more than one payment area. Follow a city link to compare all of its mapped areas, or check the service-location ZIP above for an address-level starting point.
Use this rate
What is a percentage of Medicare worth?
Turn a percentage into dollars for 26545 in El Centro. This uses the base rate on this page, so the locality and release stay consistent.
Reference amount per service
$806.05
$732.77 × 110% = $806.05
A contract may specify another Medicare year or additional adjustments. This is percentage arithmetic on the displayed base rate, not a claim adjudication.
Working with a whole code list?
Compare an offer across your annual code mix, including an older Medicare schedule or flat per-code rates.
How this local rate is calculated
Each RVU component is multiplied by its own geographic practice cost index (GPCI). The three adjusted components are added, then multiplied by the conversion factor. These are the inputs used for 26545 in El Centro.
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
2,637
- Code
- 26545
- Physician work
- 6.93
- Practice expense
- 12.94
- Malpractice
- 1.31
GPCI2026.csv
10
- Locality
- El Centro
- Physician work
- 1.017
- Practice expense
- 1.096
- Malpractice
- 0.541
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 6.93 | × 1.017 | 7.0478 |
| Practice expense | 12.94 | × 1.096 | 14.1822 |
| Malpractice | 1.31 | × 0.541 | 0.7087 |
| Total RVUs | 21.9388 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Facility rate, El Centro$732.77
Open 26545 in the RVU calculator →
Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula
Facility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 6.93 | 1.017 |
| Practice expense | 12.94 | 1.096 |
| Malpractice | 1.31 | 0.541 |
(6.93 × 1.017 + 12.94 × 1.096 + 1.31 × 0.541) × $33.4009 = $732.77
The office and facility calculations use their respective practice-expense RVUs. The facility amount here is the physician fee, not a separate hospital or facility bill.
How this rate has changed
26545 · Office / nonfacility
Rate unavailable
Effective 2026-10-01
A rate is unavailable in one of these releases, so a change cannot be calculated.
One bar per available release, ordered by effective date. Missing rates remain gaps. These comparisons hold the code, setting and locality identifiers constant; they do not isolate which policy or input caused a change.
What changed, release by release
Explore release dates and calculate this code in an earlier period →
Each row uses the accepted CMS release effective on that date and the same contractor and locality identifiers. Missing rates stay visible. Historical boundaries may differ; verify the service address for an older claim.
Inspect every release and its CMS source
| Effective from | Office / nonfacility | Facility | CMS release |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $732.77 | RVU26D |
| 2026-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $732.77 | RVU26C |
| 2026-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $732.77 | RVU26B |
| 2026-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $732.77 | RVU26A |
| 2025-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $745.61 | RVU25D |
| 2025-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $745.61 | RVU25C |
| 2025-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $745.61 | RVU25B |
| 2025-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $745.61 | RVU25A |
26545 billing questions
How is this different from a direct ligament repair?
Use this code when the surgeon reconstructs the ligament with graft tissue. A direct repair of the existing ligament is a different service.
Does the code include obtaining the graft?
The operative documentation should identify the graft and the reconstruction performed. Check the applicable CPT descriptor and coding guidance before separately reporting graft procurement.
Can modifier 50 be used for both sides?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code; modifier 50 does not apply.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
When may an assistant-at-surgery be paid?
CMS payment for an assistant at surgery requires documentation of medical necessity. 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 indices and the applicable conversion factor. Unavailable or separately priced services are labeled rather than assigned a made-up amount.
Source: RVU26D. Effective 2026-10-01 through the day before 2027-01-01.
2,63426540,,Repair hand joint,A,,6.44,12.66,NA,12.66,,1.24,20.34,20.34,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,0,0,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,63526541,,Repair hand joint with graft,A,,8.59,13.70,NA,13.70,,1.65,23.94,23.94,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,63626542,,Repair hand joint with graft,A,,6.78,12.78,NA,12.78,,1.30,20.86,20.86,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,63726545,,Reconstruct finger joint,A,,6.93,12.94,NA,12.94,,1.31,21.18,21.18,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,63826546,,Repair nonunion hand,A,,10.56,17.16,NA,17.16,,2.02,29.74,29.74,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,2,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,63926548,,Reconstruct finger joint,A,,8.01,13.39,NA,13.39,,1.53,22.93,22.93,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,64026550,,Pollicization digit,A,,21.14,20.42,NA,20.42,,4.50,46.06,46.06,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,2,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
707102,AR,13,ARKANSAS,1.000,0.859,0.515
801112,CA,54,BAKERSFIELD,1.019,1.096,0.609
901112,CA,55,CHICO,1.017,1.096,0.536
1001182,CA,71,EL CENTRO,1.017,1.096,0.541
1101112,CA,56,FRESNO,1.017,1.096,0.536
1201112,CA,57,HANFORD-CORCORAN,1.017,1.096,0.536
1301182,CA,18,LOS ANGELES-LONG BEACH-ANAHEIM (LOS ANGELES/ORANGE CNTY),1.041,1.183,0.664