No office rate
29875 describes limited synovial removal; 29876 is for major synovectomy involving two or more compartments.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
29875 Knee synovectomy Medicare reimbursement rates in Connecticut
Reports arthroscopic removal of a limited amount of inflamed or abnormal knee synovium, such as a symptomatic plica, as a therapeutic procedure. Compare 29875 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Connecticut.
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 29875 in Connecticut?
Connecticut 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
$504.66
1 of 1 localities have a supported rate.
Payment area: Connecticut
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 29875: Arthroscopic limited knee synovectomy
Reports arthroscopic removal of a limited amount of inflamed or abnormal knee synovium, such as a symptomatic plica, as a therapeutic procedure.
The surgeon uses a knee arthroscope and instruments through small incisions to remove a limited area of inflamed or abnormal synovial tissue. A typical indication is a symptomatic plica that is treated by arthroscopic excision. Orthopedic surgeons most often perform the procedure in an outpatient operating room or ambulatory surgery center; hospital outpatient settings are also common. This is a therapeutic removal of synovium, not simply inspection of the joint or a biopsy taken during diagnostic arthroscopy.
Choose this code for a limited synovectomy; the extent and work documented should distinguish it from major synovectomy involving two or more compartments. As a designated separate procedure, it should not be separately reported when the synovectomy is part of a more extensive arthroscopic service at the same site. The major-surgery global period includes 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, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. An assistant is paid only when medical necessity is documented; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 29875
- 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 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 RVU6.29 · 44%
- Practice expense (office) RVU6.60 · 46%
- Malpractice RVU1.31 · 9%
2.8K
Medicare services in 2024 · #2220 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.
29875 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Connecticut, from the same CMS release.
$644.25
29870 is diagnostic inspection, with or without synovial biopsy. Choose 29875 when the surgeon therapeutically removes a limited amount of synovium.
No office rate
29871 is directed at arthroscopic treatment of knee infection. 29875 describes limited synovectomy, such as removal of a symptomatic plica.
No office rate
29884 addresses lysis of knee adhesions. Choose 29875 when the operative target is abnormal synovial tissue rather than adhesions.
Compare 29875 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
Connecticut →
Office / nonfacility
Unavailable
Facility
$504.66
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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 29875 in Connecticut.
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
3,357
- Code
- 29875
- Physician work
- 6.29
- Practice expense
- 6.60
- Malpractice
- 1.31
GPCI2026.csv
38
- Locality
- Connecticut
- Physician work
- 1.020
- Practice expense
- 1.077
- Malpractice
- 1.210
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 6.29 | × 1.020 | 6.4158 |
| Practice expense | 6.60 | × 1.077 | 7.1082 |
| Malpractice | 1.31 | × 1.210 | 1.5851 |
| Total RVUs | 15.1091 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Facility rate, Connecticut$504.66
Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula
Facility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 6.29 | 1.02 |
| Practice expense | 6.6 | 1.077 |
| Malpractice | 1.31 | 1.21 |
(6.29 × 1.02 + 6.6 × 1.077 + 1.31 × 1.21) × $33.4009 = $504.66
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.
29875 billing questions
How do I distinguish this from 29876?
This code is for a limited synovectomy. Use 29876 when the surgeon performs a major synovectomy involving two or more compartments.
Can it be reported with another knee arthroscopy code?
Because it is a separate procedure, do not report it separately when the synovectomy is part of a more extensive arthroscopic service at the same site. The operative report should establish a distinct, therapeutic limited synovectomy.
Can diagnostic arthroscopy also be reported?
A diagnostic inspection is generally included when the surgeon proceeds to a surgical arthroscopy. This code represents therapeutic synovial removal, not diagnostic inspection alone.
What documentation supports the limited procedure?
Document the abnormal synovial tissue treated, the therapeutic removal performed, and the operative extent. The record should support a limited rather than major synovectomy.
How are bilateral procedures and assistants handled?
Modifier 50 identifies a bilateral procedure, which CMS pays at 150%. An assistant at surgery is paid only with documentation of medical necessity.
What global and surgical-team rules apply?
The 90-day global includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. CMS does not permit co-surgeons or team surgery 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 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.
3,35429871,,Arthrs knee surg for infctj,A,,6.52,6.84,NA,6.84,,1.35,14.71,14.71,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,3,1,1,0,0,9,29870,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,35529873,,Arthrs knee surg w/lat rls,A,,6.08,8.26,NA,8.26,,1.26,15.60,15.60,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,3,1,1,1,0,9,29870,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,35629874,,Arthrs knee surg rmv loos/fb,A,,7.01,6.72,NA,6.72,,1.42,15.15,15.15,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,3,1,0,0,0,9,29870,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,35729875,,Arthrs knee surg synvct lmtd,A,,6.29,6.60,NA,6.60,,1.31,14.20,14.20,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,3,1,0,0,0,9,29870,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,35829876,,Arthrs knee surg synvct maj,A,,8.65,7.99,NA,7.99,,1.77,18.41,18.41,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,3,1,1,0,0,9,29870,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,35929877,,Arthrs knee surg dbrdmt/shvg,A,,8.09,7.82,NA,7.82,,1.66,17.57,17.57,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,3,1,0,0,0,9,29870,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,36029879,,Arthrs kne srg abrasj arthrp,A,,8.77,8.07,NA,8.07,,1.82,18.66,18.66,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,3,1,0,0,0,9,29870,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
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
4109102,FL,03,FORT LAUDERDALE,1.000,1.013,1.808