No office rate
29891 treats the defect by excision and drilling. Choose 29892 when the surgeon arthroscopically repairs the osteochondral lesion.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
29891 in El Centro
Office / nonfacility
Not available in this setting
Base rate per service
Facility setting
$640.82
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.
Ankle arthroscopy
About 29891: Arthroscopic ankle osteochondral lesion excision
Reports arthroscopic removal and drilling of an osteochondral defect in the ankle when the surgeon treats a focal lesion of the talus or tibia.
An orthopedic surgeon typically performs this ankle arthroscopy for a focal osteochondral defect, such as a lesion on the talar dome or tibial plafond. The surgeon removes unstable or damaged tissue at the defect and drills the underlying bone to stimulate healing. The procedure is commonly performed in a hospital outpatient department or ambulatory surgery center.
Report 29891 when the operative work addresses the osteochondral defect by excision and drilling, rather than repair or fixation of a lesion. The operative report should identify the site and describe the lesion treatment, including drilling. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, which includes 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 payment may be made; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 29891
- 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 procedure with modifier 50 is paid at 150%.
- Assistant at surgery
- Assistant at surgery may be paid.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons not permitted.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU9.43 · 50%
- Practice expense (office) RVU7.98 · 42%
- Malpractice RVU1.57 · 8%
1.2K
Medicare services in 2024 · #2837 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.
29891 compared with similar codes
Office rates for El Centro, from the same CMS release.
No office rate
29894 is for arthroscopic removal of a loose body. It does not describe excision and drilling of an osteochondral defect.
No office rate
29897 describes limited ankle arthroscopic debridement. Use 29891 when the operative work specifically excises and drills an osteochondral defect.
No office rate
29898 describes extensive ankle arthroscopic debridement; 29891 is selected for excision and drilling of an osteochondral defect.
The same code, a different location
How does El Centro compare?
29891 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 · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$640.56
No comparable office rate is available.
Modesto
California · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$640.56
No comparable office rate is available.
Napa
California · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$712.75
No comparable office rate is available.
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura
California · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$671.51
No comparable office rate is available.
Redding
California · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$640.56
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of California
California · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$640.56
No comparable office rate is available.
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
California · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$657.50
No comparable office rate is available.
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom
California · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$664.40
No comparable office rate is available.
Salinas
California · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$661.76
No comparable office rate is available.
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
California · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$671.62
No comparable office rate is available.
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (Marin Cnty)
California · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$744.78
No comparable office rate is available.
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (San Francisco/San Mateo/Alameda/Contra Costa Cnty)
California · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$743.00
No comparable office rate is available.
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty)
California · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$762.07
No comparable office rate is available.
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (Santa Clara Cnty)
California · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$754.79
No comparable office rate is available.
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles
California · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$652.02
No comparable office rate is available.
Santa Cruz-Watsonville
California · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$673.54
No comparable office rate is available.
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
California · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$662.68
No comparable office rate is available.
Santa Rosa-Petaluma
California · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$679.84
No comparable office rate is available.
Stockton
California · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$640.56
No comparable office rate is available.
Vallejo
California · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$710.18
No comparable office rate is available.
Visalia
California · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$640.56
No comparable office rate is available.
Yuba City
California · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$640.56
No comparable office rate is available.
Dc + Md/Va Suburbs
District of Columbia · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$704.33
No comparable office rate is available.
Miami
Florida · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$725.06
No comparable office rate is available.
Chicago
Illinois · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$705.40
No comparable office rate is available.
Manhattan
New York · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$728.02
No comparable office rate is available.
Alaska*
Alaska · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$785.21
No comparable office rate is available.
Alabama
Alabama · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$577.87
No comparable office rate is available.
Arkansas
Arkansas · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$570.93
No comparable office rate is available.
Arizona
Arizona · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$618.14
No comparable office rate is available.
Colorado
Colorado · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$643.30
No comparable office rate is available.
Connecticut
Connecticut · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$671.78
No comparable office rate is available.
Delaware
Delaware · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$627.03
No comparable office rate is available.
Fort Lauderdale
Florida · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$679.79
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Florida
Florida · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$648.60
No comparable office rate is available.
Atlanta
Georgia · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$649.70
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Georgia
Georgia · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$615.23
No comparable office rate is available.
Hawaii, Guam
Hawaii · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$648.39
No comparable office rate is available.
Iowa
Iowa · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$579.67
No comparable office rate is available.
Idaho
Idaho · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$584.99
No comparable office rate is available.
East St. Louis
Illinois · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$665.80
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Illinois
Illinois · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$640.28
No comparable office rate is available.
Suburban Chicago
Illinois · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$683.83
No comparable office rate is available.
Indiana
Indiana · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$587.54
No comparable office rate is available.
Kansas
Kansas · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$582.35
No comparable office rate is available.
Kentucky
Kentucky · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$599.91
No comparable office rate is available.
New Orleans
Louisiana · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$625.36
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Louisiana
Louisiana · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$601.09
No comparable office rate is available.
Metropolitan Boston
Massachusetts · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$692.80
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Massachusetts
Massachusetts · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$642.47
No comparable office rate is available.
Baltimore/Surr. Cntys
Maryland · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$670.87
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Maryland
Maryland · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$636.00
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Maine
Maine · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$592.80
No comparable office rate is available.
Southern Maine
Maine · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$612.20
No comparable office rate is available.
Detroit
Michigan · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$660.59
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Michigan
Michigan · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$617.52
No comparable office rate is available.
Minnesota
Minnesota · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$604.76
No comparable office rate is available.
Metropolitan Kansas City
Missouri · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$616.48
No comparable office rate is available.
Metropolitan St. Louis
Missouri · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$621.26
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Missouri
Missouri · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$595.80
No comparable office rate is available.
Mississippi
Mississippi · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$583.21
No comparable office rate is available.
Montana**
Montana · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$633.84
No comparable office rate is available.
North Carolina
North Carolina · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$597.16
No comparable office rate is available.
North Dakota**
North Dakota · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$602.80
No comparable office rate is available.
Nebraska
Nebraska · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$580.81
No comparable office rate is available.
New Hampshire
New Hampshire · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$638.32
No comparable office rate is available.
Northern Nj
New Jersey · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$700.00
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of New Jersey
New Jersey · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$676.16
No comparable office rate is available.
New Mexico
New Mexico · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$622.37
No comparable office rate is available.
Nevada**
Nevada · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$625.46
No comparable office rate is available.
Nyc Suburbs/Long Island
New York · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$749.42
No comparable office rate is available.
Poughkpsie/N Nyc Suburbs
New York · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$684.46
No comparable office rate is available.
Queens
New York · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$725.80
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of New York
New York · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$605.05
No comparable office rate is available.
Ohio
Ohio · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$611.18
No comparable office rate is available.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$593.74
No comparable office rate is available.
Portland
Oregon · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$655.15
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Oregon
Oregon · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$617.31
No comparable office rate is available.
Metropolitan Philadelphia
Pennsylvania · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$660.67
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$609.21
No comparable office rate is available.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$636.09
No comparable office rate is available.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$643.07
No comparable office rate is available.
South Carolina
South Carolina · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$605.83
No comparable office rate is available.
South Dakota**
South Dakota · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$599.13
No comparable office rate is available.
Tennessee
Tennessee · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$585.41
No comparable office rate is available.
Austin
Texas · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$644.06
No comparable office rate is available.
Beaumont
Texas · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$606.24
No comparable office rate is available.
Brazoria
Texas · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$622.53
No comparable office rate is available.
Dallas
Texas · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$628.27
No comparable office rate is available.
Fort Worth
Texas · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$626.29
No comparable office rate is available.
Galveston
Texas · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$625.58
No comparable office rate is available.
Houston
Texas · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$654.32
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Texas
Texas · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$615.27
No comparable office rate is available.
Utah
Utah · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$612.61
No comparable office rate is available.
Virginia
Virginia · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$614.00
No comparable office rate is available.
Virgin Islands
United States Virgin Islands · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$636.09
No comparable office rate is available.
Vermont
Vermont · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$605.38
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Washington
Washington · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$639.64
No comparable office rate is available.
Seattle (King Cnty)
Washington · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$700.61
No comparable office rate is available.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$586.47
No comparable office rate is available.
West Virginia
West Virginia · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$621.63
No comparable office rate is available.
Wyoming**
Wyoming · 29891
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$620.31
No comparable office rate is available.
See how rates vary across the country
29891 · 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 29891 in El Centro. This uses the base rate on this page, so the locality and release stay consistent.
Reference amount per service
$704.90
$640.82 × 110% = $704.90
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 29891 in El Centro.
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
3,371
- Code
- 29891
- Physician work
- 9.43
- Practice expense
- 7.98
- Malpractice
- 1.57
GPCI2026.csv
10
- Locality
- El Centro
- Physician work
- 1.017
- Practice expense
- 1.096
- Malpractice
- 0.541
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 9.43 | × 1.017 | 9.5903 |
| Practice expense | 7.98 | × 1.096 | 8.7461 |
| Malpractice | 1.57 | × 0.541 | 0.8494 |
| Total RVUs | 19.1858 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Facility rate, El Centro$640.82
Open 29891 in the RVU calculator →
Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula
Facility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 9.43 | 1.017 |
| Practice expense | 7.98 | 1.096 |
| Malpractice | 1.57 | 0.541 |
(9.43 × 1.017 + 7.98 × 1.096 + 1.57 × 0.541) × $33.4009 = $640.82
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
29891 · 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 | $640.82 | RVU26D |
| 2026-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $640.82 | RVU26C |
| 2026-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $640.82 | RVU26B |
| 2026-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $640.82 | RVU26A |
| 2025-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $677.91 | RVU25D |
| 2025-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $677.91 | RVU25C |
| 2025-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $677.91 | RVU25B |
| 2025-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $677.91 | RVU25A |
29891 billing questions
When is 29891 preferred over 29892?
Use 29891 for arthroscopic excision and drilling of the defect. Code 29892 is for arthroscopically aided repair of an osteochondral lesion, such as when the surgeon repairs or fixes the lesion.
Are lesion preparation and drilling separately billable?
No. Removing the defect tissue and drilling the underlying bone are part of 29891, not separate services. Separately performed work on another condition must be distinct and supported by the operative report.
What documentation supports 29891?
Document the ankle, the lesion's location on the talus or tibia, arthroscopic findings, and the excision and drilling performed.
How is bilateral 29891 reported?
CMS identifies this as a bilateral procedure; reporting modifier 50 is paid at 150%.
What global period applies?
The major-surgery 90-day global includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be paid?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made. CMS does not permit co-surgeons or team surgery 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 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.
3,36829887,,Arthrs knee srg drlg od fixj,A,,9.91,9.25,NA,9.25,,2.11,21.27,21.27,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,3,1,2,1,0,9,29870,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,36929888,,Arthrs aid acl rpr/agmntj,A,,13.94,9.95,NA,9.95,,2.74,26.63,26.63,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,37029889,,Arthrs aid pcl rpr/agmntj,A,,16.97,13.32,NA,13.32,,3.61,33.90,33.90,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,37129891,,Arthr ank ostchn df tal&/tib,A,,9.43,7.98,NA,7.98,,1.57,18.98,18.98,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,2,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,37229892,,Arthrs aid rpr od les/tib fx,A,,10.01,6.62,NA,6.62,,1.26,17.89,17.89,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,2,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,37329893,,Endoscopic plantr fasciotomy,A,,6.16,13.20,,5.79,,0.56,19.92,12.51,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,1,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,37429894,,Ankle arthroscopy/surgery,A,,7.17,5.85,NA,5.85,,1.20,14.22,14.22,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,2,1,0,9,,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