Billing code 25920: Hand amputationMedicare rate & RVUs in Alaska
Reports surgical removal of the hand at the wrist, such as for a severely injured or nonviable hand when amputation is required.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 25920 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 25920 covers
This service removes the hand at the wrist level, separating it from the forearm through the wrist. It may be required after devastating crush or other traumatic injury, or when severe infection or loss of blood supply leaves the hand nonviable. An orthopedic, plastic, or hand surgeon typically performs the operation in an operating room, often in a hospital or other facility setting.
Select this code when the operative report supports amputation at the wrist, rather than through the metacarpals or at a forearm level. Document the indication, the anatomical level, and the operative findings; prior amputation history can help distinguish an initial procedure from re-amputation. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. An assistant is paid only when medical necessity is documented; co-surgeon and team-surgery payment are 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.
25920 in Alaska*
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska* | Unavailable | $838.50 |
How the 25920 rate is calculated
Each of 25920’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 · 25920
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 8.80Practice expense 10.21Malpractice 1.87
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 25920
25920 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 25920
Hand amputation
| 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) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| 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 · 25920
Hand amputation
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
25920 without 50 · national facility
$697.41
Hand amputation
25920-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$1,046.12
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).
25920 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
25920 vs 25922 vs 25927 vs 25900: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 25922Hand amputation
- Both describe wrist-level hand amputation, but 25922 represents re-amputation. Use the operative history and full procedure documentation to distinguish the initial amputation from a repeat amputation.
- 25927Hand amputation
- 25920 is used for amputation at the wrist; 25927 applies when the hand is amputated through the metacarpal bones.
- 25900Forearm amputation
- 25900 is a forearm-level amputation code. Choose based on the documented operative level, not simply the extent of hand injury.
25920 billing questions
How is 25920 distinguished from 25927?
25920 represents amputation at the wrist. Use 25927 when the operative level is through the metacarpal bones.
How does 25920 differ from 25922?
Both are wrist-level hand amputation codes. 25922 is for re-amputation at the wrist; 25920 is for the initial amputation.
Does the 90-day global period include related postoperative care?
Yes. The global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
How is bilateral wrist-level hand amputation reported?
Report modifier 50 for a bilateral procedure; Medicare pays the bilateral service at 150%.
When can an assistant at surgery be paid?
Payment for an assistant at surgery requires documentation of medical necessity. Co-surgeon and team-surgery payment are not permitted for this code.
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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