Billing code 23473: Shoulder revisionMedicare rate & RVUs in Alaska
Reports revision of a total shoulder replacement when the surgeon revises the humeral or glenoid component, but not both components.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 23473 in Alaska.
Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.
On this page 9 sections
What 23473 covers
An orthopedic surgeon reports this service when revising one component of an existing total shoulder replacement: the humeral component or the glenoid component. Revision may involve removing or exchanging the component and addressing bone loss, including use of graft material when performed. These operations are typically done in a hospital or ambulatory surgery center for problems such as component loosening, wear, instability, or other implant-related failure. The operative report should establish that a total shoulder prosthesis was already present and identify which component was revised.
Choose this code when only one component is revised; when both humeral and glenoid components are revised, use the separate code for both. The 90-day global includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during the 90 days after surgery. If multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is paid at 150% for bilateral services. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be allowed; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team-surgery payment is not permitted.
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.
23473 in Alaska*
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska* | Unavailable | $1,804.14 |
How the 23473 rate is calculated
Each of 23473’s three RVUs is multiplied by a geographic index (GPCI) for the payment locality, added up, and multiplied by the conversion factor. Drag the indexes or enter a ZIP to see what moves the rate.
How the rate is built · 23473
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 24.38Practice expense 13.85Malpractice 4.89
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 23473
23473 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 23473
Shoulder revision
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 090 | Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included. |
| Multiple procedures | 2 | Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 1 | Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 2 | Paid. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
| Split (54/55/56) | 0.10/0.69/0.21 | Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care. |
Global surgery period · 23473
Shoulder revision
90-day global period ends
Dec 30, 2026
Covers Sep 30, 2026 through Dec 30, 2026 (92 days, including the day before surgery).
Visit on Oct 31, 2026
Day 30 of the 90-day post-op period: related follow-up care is included in the surgical payment.
Pre-op dayGlobal period
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
23473 without 50 · national facility
$1,440.25
Shoulder revision
23473-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$2,160.38
Both sides on one line with modifier 50 are paid at 150% of the fee schedule amount (subject to multiple-procedure rules with other procedures).
23473 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
23473 vs 23474 vs 23472 vs 23470: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 23474Shoulder revision
- Use 23473 when revising only the humeral or glenoid component. Use 23474 when the surgeon revises both components.
- 23472Shoulder arthroplasty
- 23472 is for primary total shoulder arthroplasty; 23473 requires revision of an existing total shoulder replacement.
- 23470Shoulder arthroplasty
- 23470 describes shoulder hemiarthroplasty, not revision of one component of an existing total shoulder replacement.
23473 billing questions
When should the surgeon report 23473 rather than 23474?
Report 23473 when the revision involves the humeral component or the glenoid component alone. Use 23474 when both components are revised.
Can this code be used for a first-time total shoulder replacement?
No. This code describes revision of an existing total shoulder replacement. A primary total shoulder arthroplasty is reported with 23472.
What documentation supports reporting this code?
The operative report should identify the existing total shoulder prosthesis, specify the humeral or glenoid component revised, and describe the revision work performed.
How is bilateral revision handled?
CMS pays bilateral services reported with modifier 50 at 150%. The record should support revision of the specified component on both shoulders.
Is assistant-at-surgery or co-surgeon payment available?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; team-surgery payment is 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 indexes and the conversion factor. Services without a published rate are labeled, never given a made-up amount. Amounts are Medicare allowed amounts before claim adjustments: not a patient’s bill or a commercial rate.
CMS RVU26D · effective Oct 1, 2026 through the day before Jan 1, 2027
Show the CMS file lines behind this rate
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