No office rate
Both describe MCP fusion, but 26852 includes autogenous bone graft. Internal fixation alone does not call for the graft code.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
26850 in Salinas
Office / nonfacility
Not available in this setting
Base rate per service
Facility setting
$761.53
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 26850: Metacarpophalangeal joint fusion
Reports surgical fusion of a finger metacarpophalangeal joint for conditions such as painful arthritis, instability, or post-traumatic deformity.
Code 26850 describes an operation to fuse a finger’s metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint, the joint where the finger meets the hand. The surgeon prepares the joint surfaces and positions them for fusion; internal fixation may be used. Hand or orthopedic surgeons commonly perform the procedure in a hospital operating room or ambulatory surgery center for a painful, unstable, or deformed MCP joint, including after trauma.
Select this code for MCP fusion without autogenous bone graft; when autogenous graft is used, consider 26852. The operative report should identify the joint and side, the condition treated, and whether graft or fixation was used. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. In a same-session multiple-procedure claim, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are paid at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 26850
- 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 RVU6.96 · 33%
- Practice expense (office) RVU12.87 · 61%
- Malpractice RVU1.32 · 6%
2.3K
Medicare services in 2024 · #2350 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.
26850 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Salinas, from the same CMS release.
No office rate
Use 26860 for fusion of a finger interphalangeal joint, not the MCP joint at the base of the finger.
No office rate
Code 26843 concerns fusion of a non-thumb carpometacarpal joint in the hand; 26850 concerns a finger MCP joint.
No office rate
Code 26841 is for the thumb carpometacarpal joint. It is not the code for fusion of a finger MCP joint.
The same code, a different location
How does Salinas compare?
26850 across payment areas
Same release and payment basis · bars start at $0
Salinas · 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 · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$731.19
No comparable office rate is available.
Merced
California · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$731.19
No comparable office rate is available.
Modesto
California · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$731.19
No comparable office rate is available.
Napa
California · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$836.08
No comparable office rate is available.
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura
California · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$774.55
No comparable office rate is available.
Redding
California · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$731.19
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of California
California · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$731.19
No comparable office rate is available.
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
California · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$745.40
No comparable office rate is available.
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom
California · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$764.41
No comparable office rate is available.
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
California · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$777.46
No comparable office rate is available.
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (Marin Cnty)
California · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$880.91
No comparable office rate is available.
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley (San Francisco/San Mateo/Alameda/Contra Costa Cnty)
California · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$879.41
No comparable office rate is available.
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (San Benito Cnty)
California · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$901.55
No comparable office rate is available.
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (Santa Clara Cnty)
California · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$895.42
No comparable office rate is available.
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles
California · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$749.68
No comparable office rate is available.
Santa Cruz-Watsonville
California · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$783.28
No comparable office rate is available.
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
California · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$763.84
No comparable office rate is available.
Santa Rosa-Petaluma
California · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$790.96
No comparable office rate is available.
Stockton
California · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$731.19
No comparable office rate is available.
Vallejo
California · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$833.92
No comparable office rate is available.
Visalia
California · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$731.19
No comparable office rate is available.
Yuba City
California · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$731.19
No comparable office rate is available.
Dc + Md/Va Suburbs
District of Columbia · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$800.48
No comparable office rate is available.
Miami
Florida · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$791.47
No comparable office rate is available.
Chicago
Illinois · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$767.30
No comparable office rate is available.
Manhattan
New York · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$816.78
No comparable office rate is available.
Alaska*
Alaska · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$830.81
No comparable office rate is available.
Alabama
Alabama · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$633.56
No comparable office rate is available.
Arkansas
Arkansas · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$624.43
No comparable office rate is available.
Arizona
Arizona · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$686.75
No comparable office rate is available.
Colorado
Colorado · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$727.07
No comparable office rate is available.
Connecticut
Connecticut · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$753.44
No comparable office rate is available.
Delaware
Delaware · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$697.98
No comparable office rate is available.
Fort Lauderdale
Florida · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$747.64
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Florida
Florida · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$709.69
No comparable office rate is available.
Atlanta
Georgia · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$722.87
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Georgia
Georgia · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$668.47
No comparable office rate is available.
Hawaii, Guam
Hawaii · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$746.76
No comparable office rate is available.
Iowa
Iowa · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$643.30
No comparable office rate is available.
Idaho
Idaho · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$648.80
No comparable office rate is available.
East St. Louis
Illinois · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$716.75
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Illinois
Illinois · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$693.85
No comparable office rate is available.
Suburban Chicago
Illinois · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$753.70
No comparable office rate is available.
Indiana
Indiana · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$652.39
No comparable office rate is available.
Kansas
Kansas · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$643.29
No comparable office rate is available.
Kentucky
Kentucky · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$654.97
No comparable office rate is available.
New Orleans
Louisiana · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$687.06
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Louisiana
Louisiana · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$655.14
No comparable office rate is available.
Metropolitan Boston
Massachusetts · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$794.51
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Massachusetts
Massachusetts · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$723.98
No comparable office rate is available.
Baltimore/Surr. Cntys
Maryland · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$751.98
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Maryland
Maryland · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$710.30
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Maine
Maine · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$655.37
No comparable office rate is available.
Southern Maine
Maine · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$686.29
No comparable office rate is available.
Detroit
Michigan · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$721.63
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Michigan
Michigan · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$674.72
No comparable office rate is available.
Minnesota
Minnesota · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$687.86
No comparable office rate is available.
Metropolitan Kansas City
Missouri · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$679.19
No comparable office rate is available.
Metropolitan St. Louis
Missouri · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$685.88
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Missouri
Missouri · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$645.96
No comparable office rate is available.
Mississippi
Mississippi · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$635.17
No comparable office rate is available.
Montana**
Montana · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$706.34
No comparable office rate is available.
North Carolina
North Carolina · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$661.71
No comparable office rate is available.
North Dakota**
North Dakota · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$680.24
No comparable office rate is available.
Nebraska
Nebraska · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$645.91
No comparable office rate is available.
New Hampshire
New Hampshire · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$718.54
No comparable office rate is available.
Northern Nj
New Jersey · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$792.85
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of New Jersey
New Jersey · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$759.55
No comparable office rate is available.
New Mexico
New Mexico · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$679.61
No comparable office rate is available.
Nevada**
Nevada · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$699.50
No comparable office rate is available.
Nyc Suburbs/Long Island
New York · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$840.34
No comparable office rate is available.
Poughkpsie/N Nyc Suburbs
New York · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$766.99
No comparable office rate is available.
Queens
New York · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$819.03
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of New York
New York · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$671.84
No comparable office rate is available.
Ohio
Ohio · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$669.38
No comparable office rate is available.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$650.60
No comparable office rate is available.
Portland
Oregon · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$746.58
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Oregon
Oregon · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$691.62
No comparable office rate is available.
Metropolitan Philadelphia
Pennsylvania · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$736.75
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$668.75
No comparable office rate is available.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$710.50
No comparable office rate is available.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$720.27
No comparable office rate is available.
South Carolina
South Carolina · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$667.15
No comparable office rate is available.
South Dakota**
South Dakota · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$677.15
No comparable office rate is available.
Tennessee
Tennessee · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$646.90
No comparable office rate is available.
Austin
Texas · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$726.80
No comparable office rate is available.
Beaumont
Texas · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$664.61
No comparable office rate is available.
Brazoria
Texas · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$694.72
No comparable office rate is available.
Dallas
Texas · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$700.54
No comparable office rate is available.
Fort Worth
Texas · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$696.82
No comparable office rate is available.
Galveston
Texas · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$697.70
No comparable office rate is available.
Houston
Texas · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$721.86
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Texas
Texas · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$680.23
No comparable office rate is available.
Utah
Utah · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$676.14
No comparable office rate is available.
Virginia
Virginia · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$686.16
No comparable office rate is available.
Virgin Islands
United States Virgin Islands · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$710.50
No comparable office rate is available.
Vermont
Vermont · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$680.35
No comparable office rate is available.
Rest Of Washington
Washington · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$721.70
No comparable office rate is available.
Seattle (King Cnty)
Washington · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$807.56
No comparable office rate is available.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$657.86
No comparable office rate is available.
West Virginia
West Virginia · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$669.12
No comparable office rate is available.
Wyoming**
Wyoming · 26850
Office
Unavailable
Facility
$694.97
No comparable office rate is available.
See how rates vary across the country
26850 · 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?
Salinas is a Medicare payment area. Our Census mapping connects it to 30 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 26850 in Salinas. This uses the base rate on this page, so the locality and release stay consistent.
Reference amount per service
$837.68
$761.53 × 110% = $837.68
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 26850 in Salinas.
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
2,696
- Code
- 26850
- Physician work
- 6.96
- Practice expense
- 12.87
- Malpractice
- 1.32
GPCI2026.csv
22
- Locality
- Salinas
- Physician work
- 1.031
- Practice expense
- 1.159
- Malpractice
- 0.536
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 6.96 | × 1.031 | 7.1758 |
| Practice expense | 12.87 | × 1.159 | 14.9163 |
| Malpractice | 1.32 | × 0.536 | 0.7075 |
| Total RVUs | 22.7996 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Facility rate, Salinas$761.53
Open 26850 in the RVU calculator →
Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula
Facility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 6.96 | 1.031 |
| Practice expense | 12.87 | 1.159 |
| Malpractice | 1.32 | 0.536 |
(6.96 × 1.031 + 12.87 × 1.159 + 1.32 × 0.536) × $33.4009 = $761.53
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
26850 · 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 | $761.53 | RVU26D |
| 2026-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $761.53 | RVU26C |
| 2026-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $761.53 | RVU26B |
| 2026-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $761.53 | RVU26A |
| 2025-10-01 | Not available in this setting | $783.53 | RVU25D |
| 2025-07-01 | Not available in this setting | $783.53 | RVU25C |
| 2025-04-01 | Not available in this setting | $783.53 | RVU25B |
| 2025-01-01 | Not available in this setting | $783.53 | RVU25A |
26850 billing questions
When should 26852 be reported instead?
Use 26852 when the MCP fusion includes autogenous bone graft. Internal fixation by itself does not distinguish 26852 from 26850.
Is internal fixation included in 26850?
Yes. The code covers MCP fusion with or without internal fixation.
Does 26850 describe a finger MCP joint or an interphalangeal joint?
It describes the joint at the base of a finger, where the finger meets the hand. Fusion of a finger interphalangeal joint is in the 26860 code family.
Should modifier 50 be used for bilateral MCP fusions?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this descriptor and anatomy.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
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.
2,69326842,,Thumb fusion with graft,A,,8.28,14.39,NA,14.39,,1.76,24.43,24.43,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,69426843,,Fusion of hand joint,A,,7.59,13.83,NA,13.83,,1.62,23.04,23.04,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,69526844,,Fusion/graft of hand joint,A,,8.76,14.55,NA,14.55,,1.86,25.17,25.17,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,69626850,,Fusion of knuckle,A,,6.96,12.87,NA,12.87,,1.32,21.15,21.15,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,69726852,,Fusion of knuckle with graft,A,,8.49,13.71,NA,13.71,,1.61,23.81,23.81,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,0,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,69826860,,Fusion of finger joint,A,,4.76,12.49,NA,12.49,,0.91,18.16,18.16,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,0,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,69926861,,Fusion of finger jnt add-on,A,,1.70,0.56,NA,0.56,,0.34,2.60,2.60,0,ZZZ,0.00,0.00,0.00,0,0,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
1901112,CA,61,REDDING,1.017,1.096,0.536
2001112,CA,62,RIVERSIDE-SAN BERNARDINO-ONTARIO,1.018,1.096,0.853
2101112,CA,63,SACRAMENTO-ROSEVILLE-FOLSOM,1.036,1.163,0.536
2201112,CA,64,SALINAS,1.031,1.159,0.536
2301182,CA,72,SAN DIEGO-CHULA VISTA-CARLSBAD,1.030,1.196,0.542
2401112,CA,05,SAN FRANCISCO-OAKLAND-BERKELEY (SAN FRANCISCO/SAN MATEO/ALAMEDA/CONTRA COSTA CNTY),1.095,1.410,0.425
2501112,CA,52,SAN FRANCISCO-OAKLAND-BERKELEY (MARIN CNTY),1.095,1.410,0.459