No office rate
29845 represents complete arthroscopic wrist synovectomy. Use 29844 when the surgeon removes only part of the synovial lining.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
29844 Wrist arthroscopy Medicare reimbursement rates in Colorado
Arthroscopic partial synovectomy removes a portion of abnormal wrist-joint synovial tissue when operative treatment of synovitis is indicated. Compare 29844 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Colorado.
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 29844 in Colorado?
Colorado 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
$478.25
1 of 1 localities have a supported rate.
Payment area: Colorado
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 29844: Wrist arthroscopy with partial synovectomy
Arthroscopic partial synovectomy removes a portion of abnormal wrist-joint synovial tissue when operative treatment of synovitis is indicated.
The surgeon uses a small camera and instruments through wrist portals to remove part of the thickened or inflamed synovial lining inside the joint. This may be performed by an orthopedic or hand surgeon in a hospital or ambulatory surgery center for wrist synovitis requiring operative treatment. The work is a partial removal, rather than removal of the entire synovial lining or arthroscopic treatment directed at another wrist problem.
Report this code when the operative report supports arthroscopic removal of only part of the wrist-joint synovium. Documentation should identify the synovial abnormality, the arthroscopic approach, and the tissue removed; select a complete synovectomy code when the documented removal is complete. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When related endoscopies are performed together, endoscopy-family pricing applies. For bilateral procedures reported with modifier 50, payment is 150%. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 29844
- 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
- Endoscopy family pricing applies when related endoscopies are performed together.
- Bilateral procedures
- Bilateral procedure with modifier 50 is paid at 150%.
- Assistant at surgery
- Assistant at surgery may be paid.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons not permitted.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU6.35 · 45%
- Practice expense (office) RVU6.50 · 46%
- Malpractice RVU1.25 · 9%
158
Medicare services in 2024 · #4521 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.
29844 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Colorado, from the same CMS release.
No office rate
29843 describes arthroscopic wrist lavage and drainage for infection, rather than partial synovial tissue removal.
No office rate
29846 addresses arthroscopic treatment involving triangular fibrocartilage or wrist-joint debridement. Choose 29844 when the documented work is partial synovectomy.
Compare 29844 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
Colorado →
Office / nonfacility
Unavailable
Facility
$478.25
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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 29844 in Colorado.
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
3,337
- Code
- 29844
- Physician work
- 6.35
- Practice expense
- 6.50
- Malpractice
- 1.25
GPCI2026.csv
37
- Locality
- Colorado
- Physician work
- 1.012
- Practice expense
- 1.064
- Malpractice
- 0.781
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 6.35 | × 1.012 | 6.4262 |
| Practice expense | 6.50 | × 1.064 | 6.9160 |
| Malpractice | 1.25 | × 0.781 | 0.9763 |
| Total RVUs | 14.3185 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Facility rate, Colorado$478.25
Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula
Facility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 6.35 | 1.012 |
| Practice expense | 6.5 | 1.064 |
| Malpractice | 1.25 | 0.781 |
(6.35 × 1.012 + 6.5 × 1.064 + 1.25 × 0.781) × $33.4009 = $478.25
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.
29844 billing questions
How does this differ from complete wrist synovectomy?
This code is for arthroscopic removal of part of the wrist-joint synovium. Use the complete synovectomy code when the operative report supports removal of the entire synovial lining.
Is lavage and drainage for wrist infection the same service?
No. Arthroscopic lavage and drainage for infection is a distinct wrist procedure; this code represents partial synovectomy.
What documentation supports partial synovectomy?
The operative report should describe abnormal synovium and arthroscopic removal of a portion of it. The documented extent helps distinguish partial from complete synovectomy.
How is a bilateral procedure reported?
CMS identifies this as a bilateral procedure payable with modifier 50 at 150%. The record should support the procedure on both wrists.
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.
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
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
3401112,CA,69,VISALIA,1.017,1.096,0.536
3501112,CA,70,YUBA CITY,1.017,1.096,0.536
3601112,CA,75,REST OF CALIFORNIA,1.017,1.096,0.536
3704112,CO,01,COLORADO,1.012,1.064,0.781
3813102,CT,00,CONNECTICUT,1.020,1.077,1.210
3912202,DC,01,DC + MD/VA SUBURBS,1.054,1.178,1.113
4012102,DE,01,DELAWARE,1.005,0.988,0.899