No office rate
Choose 26449 for extensor tendon adhesions in the forearm or wrist; choose 26445 when the release is in the hand or finger.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
26449 in Merced
Office / nonfacility
Not available in this setting
Base rate per service
Facility setting
$672.80
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 26449: Extensor tendon tenolysis, forearm or wrist
Surgical freeing of an extensor tendon in the forearm or wrist from adhesions that restrict its glide, reported for each tendon treated.
This procedure frees an extensor tendon in the forearm or wrist from scar adhesions that limit tendon excursion and impair movement. A hand or orthopedic surgeon typically performs it when examination and operative findings support adhesions as the source of restricted tendon glide, such as after prior injury or tendon surgery. The work is tenolysis: freeing the tendon, rather than repairing, lengthening, or removing it.
Report the code for each extensor tendon treated, with documentation identifying the tendon and forearm or wrist location, the adhesions and functional restriction, and the release performed. It has 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 multiple procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 26449
- 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 RVU8.38 · 42%
- Practice expense (office) RVU9.84 · 50%
- Malpractice RVU1.56 · 8%
427
Medicare services in 2024 · #3677 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.
26449 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Merced, from the same CMS release.
No office rate
This code concerns an extensor tendon in the forearm or wrist. Code 26440 describes flexor tendon tenolysis in the palm or finger.
No office rate
Tenolysis frees adhesions restricting tendon glide; 26476 is used for tendon lengthening, not simply freeing an adherent tendon.
The same code, a different location
How does Merced compare?
26449 across payment areas
Same release and payment basis · bars start at $0
Merced · 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.
Unavailable
No comparable rate is available in this setting.
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
Madera
California · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$672.80
No comparable office rate is available.
Modesto
California · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$672.80
No comparable office rate is available.
Napa
California · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$757.18
No comparable office rate is available.
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura
California · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$708.68
No comparable office rate is available.
Redding
California · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$672.80
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of California
California · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$672.80
No comparable office rate is available.
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
California · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$689.60
No comparable office rate is available.
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom
California · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$700.14
No comparable office rate is available.
Salinas
California · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$697.43
No comparable office rate is available.
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
California · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$709.62
No comparable office rate is available.
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (Marin Cnty)
California · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$793.82
No comparable office rate is available.
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (San Francisco/San Mateo/Alameda/Contra Costa Cnty)
California · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$792.05
No comparable office rate is available.
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty)
California · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$812.55
No comparable office rate is available.
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (Santa Clara Cnty)
California · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$805.31
No comparable office rate is available.
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles
California · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$686.94
No comparable office rate is available.
Santa Cruz-Watsonville
California · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$713.03
No comparable office rate is available.
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
California · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$698.89
No comparable office rate is available.
Santa Rosa-Petaluma
California · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$719.83
No comparable office rate is available.
Stockton
California · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$672.80
No comparable office rate is available.
Vallejo
California · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$754.63
No comparable office rate is available.
Visalia
California · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$672.80
No comparable office rate is available.
Yuba City
California · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$672.80
No comparable office rate is available.
Dc + Md/Va Suburbs
District of Columbia · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$740.17
No comparable office rate is available.
Miami
Florida · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$753.81
No comparable office rate is available.
Chicago
Illinois · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$731.75
No comparable office rate is available.
Manhattan
New York · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$762.36
No comparable office rate is available.
Alaska*
Alaska · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$798.59
No comparable office rate is available.
Alabama
Alabama · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$596.97
No comparable office rate is available.
Arkansas
Arkansas · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$589.06
No comparable office rate is available.
Arizona
Arizona · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$642.98
No comparable office rate is available.
Colorado
Colorado · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$673.65
No comparable office rate is available.
Connecticut
Connecticut · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$702.52
No comparable office rate is available.
Delaware
Delaware · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$652.86
No comparable office rate is available.
Fort Lauderdale
Florida · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$707.04
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Florida
Florida · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$672.42
No comparable office rate is available.
Atlanta
Georgia · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$677.24
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Georgia
Georgia · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$635.18
No comparable office rate is available.
Hawaii, Guam
Hawaii · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$683.76
No comparable office rate is available.
Iowa
Iowa · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$601.31
No comparable office rate is available.
Idaho
Idaho · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$606.92
No comparable office rate is available.
East St. Louis
Illinois · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$687.21
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Illinois
Illinois · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$661.41
No comparable office rate is available.
Suburban Chicago
Illinois · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$711.73
No comparable office rate is available.
Indiana
Indiana · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$609.90
No comparable office rate is available.
Kansas
Kansas · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$603.27
No comparable office rate is available.
Kentucky
Kentucky · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$619.76
No comparable office rate is available.
New Orleans
Louisiana · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$648.36
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Louisiana
Louisiana · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$620.68
No comparable office rate is available.
Metropolitan Boston
Massachusetts · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$730.18
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Massachusetts
Massachusetts · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$671.99
No comparable office rate is available.
Baltimore/Surr. Cntys
Maryland · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$701.49
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Maryland
Maryland · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$663.14
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Maine
Maine · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$614.68
No comparable office rate is available.
Southern Maine
Maine · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$638.48
No comparable office rate is available.
Detroit
Michigan · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$684.91
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Michigan
Michigan · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$638.80
No comparable office rate is available.
Minnesota
Minnesota · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$633.52
No comparable office rate is available.
Metropolitan Kansas City
Missouri · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$639.42
No comparable office rate is available.
Metropolitan St. Louis
Missouri · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$645.00
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Missouri
Missouri · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$613.96
No comparable office rate is available.
Mississippi
Mississippi · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$601.39
No comparable office rate is available.
Montana**
Montana · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$660.57
No comparable office rate is available.
North Carolina
North Carolina · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$619.84
No comparable office rate is available.
North Dakota**
North Dakota · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$629.72
No comparable office rate is available.
Nebraska
Nebraska · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$602.95
No comparable office rate is available.
New Hampshire
New Hampshire · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$667.63
No comparable office rate is available.
Northern Nj
New Jersey · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$734.43
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of New Jersey
New Jersey · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$707.16
No comparable office rate is available.
New Mexico
New Mexico · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$643.86
No comparable office rate is available.
Nevada**
Nevada · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$652.30
No comparable office rate is available.
Nyc Suburbs/Long Island
New York · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$785.36
No comparable office rate is available.
Poughkpsie/N Nyc Suburbs
New York · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$715.43
No comparable office rate is available.
Queens
New York · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$761.43
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of New York
New York · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$628.76
No comparable office rate is available.
Ohio
Ohio · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$632.49
No comparable office rate is available.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$613.88
No comparable office rate is available.
Portland
Oregon · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$688.29
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Oregon
Oregon · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$643.88
No comparable office rate is available.
Metropolitan Philadelphia
Pennsylvania · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$689.24
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$630.85
No comparable office rate is available.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$663.50
No comparable office rate is available.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$671.21
No comparable office rate is available.
South Carolina
South Carolina · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$627.88
No comparable office rate is available.
South Dakota**
South Dakota · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$626.07
No comparable office rate is available.
Tennessee
Tennessee · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$606.64
No comparable office rate is available.
Austin
Texas · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$674.35
No comparable office rate is available.
Beaumont
Texas · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$627.39
No comparable office rate is available.
Brazoria
Texas · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$648.49
No comparable office rate is available.
Dallas
Texas · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$654.48
No comparable office rate is available.
Fort Worth
Texas · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$651.87
No comparable office rate is available.
Galveston
Texas · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$651.65
No comparable office rate is available.
Houston
Texas · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$680.20
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Texas
Texas · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$638.85
No comparable office rate is available.
Utah
Utah · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$635.64
No comparable office rate is available.
Virginia
Virginia · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$639.76
No comparable office rate is available.
Virgin Islands
United States Virgin Islands · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$663.50
No comparable office rate is available.
Vermont
Vermont · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$631.64
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Washington
Washington · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$669.27
No comparable office rate is available.
Seattle (King Cnty)
Washington · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$739.74
No comparable office rate is available.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$610.81
No comparable office rate is available.
West Virginia
West Virginia · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$640.07
No comparable office rate is available.
Wyoming**
Wyoming · 26449
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$647.12
No comparable office rate is available.
See how rates vary across the country
26449 · 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?
Merced is a Medicare payment area. Our Census mapping connects it to 24 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 26449 in Merced. This uses the base rate on this page, so the locality and release stay consistent.
Reference amount per service
$740.08
$672.80 × 110% = $740.08
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 26449 in Merced.
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
2,600
- Code
- 26449
- Physician work
- 8.38
- Practice expense
- 9.84
- Malpractice
- 1.56
GPCI2026.csv
15
- Locality
- Merced
- Physician work
- 1.017
- Practice expense
- 1.096
- Malpractice
- 0.536
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 8.38 | × 1.017 | 8.5225 |
| Practice expense | 9.84 | × 1.096 | 10.7846 |
| Malpractice | 1.56 | × 0.536 | 0.8362 |
| Total RVUs | 20.1433 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Facility rate, Merced$672.80
Open 26449 in the RVU calculator →
Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula
Facility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 8.38 | 1.017 |
| Practice expense | 9.84 | 1.096 |
| Malpractice | 1.56 | 0.536 |
(8.38 × 1.017 + 9.84 × 1.096 + 1.56 × 0.536) × $33.4009 = $672.80
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
26449 · 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 | $672.80 | RVU26D |
| 2026-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $672.80 | RVU26C |
| 2026-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $672.80 | RVU26B |
| 2026-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $672.80 | RVU26A |
| 2025-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $715.19 | RVU25D |
| 2025-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $715.19 | RVU25C |
| 2025-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $715.19 | RVU25B |
| 2025-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $715.19 | RVU25A |
26449 billing questions
How is 26449 distinguished from 26445?
Both describe extensor tendon tenolysis, but 26449 is for the forearm or wrist and 26445 is for the hand or finger. Use the documented site of the tendon release.
Is this code for a flexor tendon release?
No. This code is for an extensor tendon in the forearm or wrist. Flexor tendon tenolysis in the palm or finger is reported from a separate code series.
How many units should be reported?
Report each extensor tendon treated, supported by the operative documentation. Identify the tendon and its location rather than relying only on the number of incisions.
Can modifier 50 be used for bilateral treatment?
No. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code under the CMS bilateral rule.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
When is assistant-at-surgery payment allowed?
Assistant-at-surgery payment is allowed only when medical necessity is documented. 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.
2,59726440,,Release palm/finger tendon,A,,5.03,13.25,NA,13.25,,0.96,19.24,19.24,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,0,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,59826442,,Release palm & finger tendon,A,,9.51,17.42,NA,17.42,,1.84,28.77,28.77,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,0,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,59926445,,Release hand/finger tendon,A,,4.34,12.94,NA,12.94,,0.83,18.11,18.11,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,0,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,60026449,,Release forearm/hand tendon,A,,8.38,9.84,NA,9.84,,1.56,19.78,19.78,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,60126450,,Incision of palm tendon,A,,3.70,9.35,NA,9.35,,0.69,13.74,13.74,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,60226455,,Incision of finger tendon,A,,3.67,9.38,NA,9.38,,0.69,13.74,13.74,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,60326460,,Incise hand/finger tendon,A,,3.49,9.29,NA,9.29,,0.65,13.43,13.43,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,0,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
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
1401112,CA,58,MADERA,1.017,1.096,0.536
1501112,CA,59,MERCED,1.017,1.096,0.536
1601112,CA,60,MODESTO,1.017,1.096,0.536
1701112,CA,51,NAPA,1.063,1.318,0.508
1801182,CA,17,OXNARD-THOUSAND OAKS-VENTURA,1.028,1.182,0.623