No office rate
Use 29840 for diagnostic wrist-joint inspection, with or without biopsy. Code 29843 describes arthroscopic lavage and drainage for infection.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
29840 Wrist arthroscopy Medicare reimbursement rates in Alabama
Reports a diagnostic arthroscopic examination of the wrist, with or without synovial biopsy, when the surgeon evaluates suspected intra-articular disease. Compare 29840 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Alabama.
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.
What does Medicare pay for 29840 in Alabama?
Alabama has 1 payment locality in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the payment area shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
No supported rate
Facility setting
$396.92
1 of 1 localities have a supported rate.
Payment area: Alabama
One mapped payment locality.
These are locality ranges, not averages or address-specific quotes. A facility-setting amount covers the physician service; it does not include a hospital’s separate bill. Choose a locality below to inspect its calculation, compare other payment areas, or price a percentage of Medicare.
Orthopedic surgery
About 29840: Diagnostic wrist arthroscopy
Reports a diagnostic arthroscopic examination of the wrist, with or without synovial biopsy, when the surgeon evaluates suspected intra-articular disease.
An orthopedic or hand surgeon inserts an arthroscope into the wrist joint to inspect its internal structures and assess suspected intra-articular problems, such as persistent pain with an uncertain cause. The surgeon may take a synovial biopsy during the examination. This is a surgical service typically performed in a facility operating room, rather than a routine office evaluation.
Report 29840 when the wrist arthroscopy is diagnostic and no more definitive arthroscopic procedure is performed on that joint during the same session; the diagnostic survey is part of a therapeutic arthroscopy when one is performed. The operative report should support the indication, arthroscopic examination, findings, and any biopsy. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including 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 others at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 29840
- 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 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 RVU5.54 · 42%
- Practice expense (office) RVU6.48 · 49%
- Malpractice RVU1.19 · 9%
61
Medicare services in 2024 · #5227 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.
29840 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Alabama, from the same CMS release.
No office rate
29840 is diagnostic; 29844 represents therapeutic partial synovectomy. A diagnostic survey during the synovectomy is not separately reported.
No office rate
Use 29846 when arthroscopy includes triangular fibrocartilage work or joint debridement; 29840 is for a diagnostic examination without that definitive treatment.
No office rate
29847 describes arthroscopic internal fixation for a distal radius fracture, not diagnostic wrist inspection.
Compare 29840 by payment locality
Find the payment area for your service address, then open its rate page for calculation inputs, release history and the percentage-of-Medicare tool. A city may cross payment-area boundaries; the ZIP lookup above helps resolve the location.
1 of 1 payment localities
Alabama →
Office / nonfacility
Unavailable
Facility
$396.92
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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 29840 in Alabama.
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
3,335
- Code
- 29840
- Physician work
- 5.54
- Practice expense
- 6.48
- Malpractice
- 1.19
GPCI2026.csv
4
- Locality
- Alabama
- Physician work
- 1.000
- Practice expense
- 0.875
- Malpractice
- 0.566
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 5.54 | × 1.000 | 5.5400 |
| Practice expense | 6.48 | × 0.875 | 5.6700 |
| Malpractice | 1.19 | × 0.566 | 0.6735 |
| Total RVUs | 11.8835 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Facility rate, Alabama$396.92
Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula
Facility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 5.54 | 1 |
| Practice expense | 6.48 | 0.875 |
| Malpractice | 1.19 | 0.566 |
(5.54 × 1 + 6.48 × 0.875 + 1.19 × 0.566) × $33.4009 = $396.92
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.
29840 billing questions
Can 29840 be reported with a therapeutic wrist arthroscopy?
Generally, no. When a definitive arthroscopic procedure is performed on the same wrist during the session, the diagnostic inspection is integral to that procedure.
Does 29840 include a synovial biopsy?
Yes. The diagnostic service may include a synovial biopsy; document the biopsy when performed.
What distinguishes 29840 from 29844?
29840 is a diagnostic examination, with or without biopsy. 29844 describes arthroscopic partial synovectomy, a therapeutic procedure.
What global period applies to 29840?
CMS assigns a 90-day global period. The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included.
Can modifier 50 be used when both wrists are treated?
CMS identifies this as a bilateral procedure; reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Documentation should support services on both wrists.
When is an assistant at surgery payable?
CMS permits assistant-at-surgery payment 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.
3,33229836,,Elbow arthroscopy/surgery,A,,7.53,7.43,NA,7.43,,1.45,16.41,16.41,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,3,1,2,1,0,9,29830,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,33329837,,Elbow arthroscopy/surgery,A,,6.83,6.89,NA,6.89,,1.45,15.17,15.17,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,3,1,2,1,0,9,29830,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,33429838,,Elbow arthroscopy/surgery,A,,7.68,7.50,NA,7.50,,1.54,16.72,16.72,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,3,1,0,0,0,9,29830,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,33529840,,Wrist arthroscopy,A,,5.54,6.48,NA,6.48,,1.19,13.21,13.21,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,33629843,,Wrist arthroscopy/surgery,A,,6.00,6.78,NA,6.78,,1.28,14.06,14.06,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,3,1,2,1,0,9,29840,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,33729844,,Wrist arthroscopy/surgery,A,,6.35,6.50,NA,6.50,,1.25,14.10,14.10,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,3,1,2,0,0,9,29840,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,33829845,,Wrist arthroscopy/surgery,A,,7.50,7.42,NA,7.42,,1.45,16.37,16.37,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,3,1,2,1,0,9,29840,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
1ADDENDUM E. FINAL CY 2026 GEOGRAPHIC PRACTICE COST INDICES (GPCIs) BY STATE AND MEDICARE LOCALITY,,,,,,
2,,,,,,
3Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC),State,Locality Number,Locality Name,2026 PW GPCI (with 1.0 Floor)***,2026 PE GPCI,2026 MP GPCI
410112,AL,00,ALABAMA,1.000,0.875,0.566
502102,AK,01,ALASKA*,1.500,1.065,0.551
603102,AZ,00,ARIZONA,1.000,0.969,0.856
707102,AR,13,ARKANSAS,1.000,0.859,0.515