$432.34
Use 29848 for endoscopic carpal tunnel release and 64721 for open release. The operative approach distinguishes the codes.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
29848 Carpal tunnel release Medicare reimbursement rates in Alabama
Reports endoscopic division of the carpal tunnel roof to relieve median nerve compression, typically performed for symptomatic carpal tunnel syndrome. Compare 29848 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 29848 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
$438.47
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.
Hand surgery
About 29848: Endoscopic carpal tunnel release
Reports endoscopic division of the carpal tunnel roof to relieve median nerve compression, typically performed for symptomatic carpal tunnel syndrome.
The surgeon uses an endoscope and specialized instruments through a small wrist or palm incision to divide the transverse carpal ligament and relieve pressure on the median nerve. Orthopedic and hand surgeons commonly perform this operation in an ambulatory surgery center or hospital outpatient setting for patients with carpal tunnel syndrome when operative decompression is indicated.
Report 29848 for the endoscopic release, with the operative note identifying the approach and documenting completion of the ligament division. It represents the surgical service, not diagnostic wrist-joint arthroscopy. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, which includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When other procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% multiple-procedure reduction. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 29848
- 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
- Statutory restriction: assistant at surgery is not paid.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons not permitted.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU6.23 · 43%
- Practice expense (office) RVU7.10 · 49%
- Malpractice RVU1.21 · 8%
65.9K
Medicare services in 2024 · #690 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.
29848 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Alabama, from the same CMS release.
No office rate
29840 is diagnostic wrist-joint arthroscopy. It does not describe endoscopic division of the carpal tunnel ligament.
$79.24
20526 reports an injection into the carpal tunnel; 29848 is operative endoscopic decompression.
Compare 29848 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
$438.47
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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 29848 in Alabama.
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
3,341
- Code
- 29848
- Physician work
- 6.23
- Practice expense
- 7.10
- Malpractice
- 1.21
GPCI2026.csv
4
- Locality
- Alabama
- Physician work
- 1.000
- Practice expense
- 0.875
- Malpractice
- 0.566
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 6.23 | × 1.000 | 6.2300 |
| Practice expense | 7.10 | × 0.875 | 6.2125 |
| Malpractice | 1.21 | × 0.566 | 0.6849 |
| Total RVUs | 13.1274 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Facility rate, Alabama$438.47
Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula
Facility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 6.23 | 1 |
| Practice expense | 7.1 | 0.875 |
| Malpractice | 1.21 | 0.566 |
(6.23 × 1 + 7.1 × 0.875 + 1.21 × 0.566) × $33.4009 = $438.47
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.
29848 billing questions
How does 29848 differ from 64721?
29848 reports endoscopic carpal tunnel release. 64721 reports the open approach; select the code that matches the operative technique documented.
Is diagnostic wrist arthroscopy included in 29848?
No. 29848 describes endoscopic carpal tunnel decompression, not examination of the wrist joint. Code 29840 is for diagnostic wrist arthroscopy.
How should bilateral releases be reported?
Report bilateral surgery with modifier 50. CMS pays this code at 150% when billed bilaterally with that modifier.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for 29848. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
What documentation supports 29848?
Document the carpal tunnel indication, the endoscopic approach, and release of the transverse carpal ligament. The operative report should make clear that the service was carpal tunnel decompression rather than wrist-joint arthroscopy.
How does the 90-day global period affect postoperative visits?
The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included in the global period.
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.
3,33829845,,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
3,33929846,,Wrist arthroscopy/surgery,A,,6.72,6.60,NA,6.60,,1.29,14.61,14.61,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,3,1,0,0,0,9,29840,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,34029847,,Wrist arthroscopy/surgery,A,,7.04,6.95,NA,6.95,,1.49,15.48,15.48,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,3,1,2,0,0,9,29840,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,34129848,,Wrist endoscopy/surgery,A,,6.23,7.10,NA,7.10,,1.21,14.54,14.54,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,34229850,,Knee arthroscopy/surgery,A,,8.06,8.00,NA,8.00,,1.71,17.77,17.77,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,0,2,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,34329851,,Knee arthroscopy/surgery,A,,12.93,10.12,NA,10.12,,2.75,25.80,25.80,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,2,2,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,34429855,,Tibial arthroscopy/surgery,A,,10.49,9.20,NA,9.20,,2.16,21.85,21.85,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,2,2,0,9,,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