Billing code 27440: Knee arthroplastyMedicare rate & RVUs in Delaware
Reports knee arthroplasty focused on the tibial plateau, rather than replacement of a femoral condyle or a total knee joint.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 27440 in Delaware.
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 27440 covers
An orthopedic surgeon performs this operation to reconstruct the knee’s tibial articular surface. It is a joint procedure for selected patients with disease or damage affecting the tibial plateau; it is distinct from replacing the full knee joint or resurfacing both the femoral and tibial sides. The service is generally performed in an operating room, with the operative report identifying the treated surface and the reconstructive work performed.
Select this code when the documented arthroplasty is limited to the tibial plateau. The operative report should support that extent and distinguish it from a broader compartment or total knee replacement. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during that period. When 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 applies to a bilateral procedure, paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery 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.
27440 in Delaware
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Delaware | Unavailable | $736.16 |
How the 27440 rate is calculated
Each of 27440’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 · 27440
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 10.81Practice expense 9.21Malpractice 2.31
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 27440
27440 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 27440
Knee arthroplasty
| 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 · 27440
Knee arthroplasty
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
27440 without 50 · national facility
$745.84
Knee arthroplasty
27440-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$1,118.76
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).
27440 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
27440 vs 27441 vs 27446 vs 27447: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 27441Knee revision
- Both address tibial plateau arthroplasty; 27441 includes debridement and partial synovectomy, which must be supported by the operative documentation.
- 27446Partial knee replacement
- 27446 describes arthroplasty of the medial or lateral compartment. Use 27440 when the documented arthroplasty is limited to the tibial plateau.
- 27447Total knee replacement
- 27447 is for total knee arthroplasty. It is not the choice for an operation limited to the tibial plateau.
27440 billing questions
How is this different from a total knee replacement?
This code is for arthroplasty focused on the tibial plateau. A total knee arthroplasty replaces the knee more broadly and is reported with 27447.
When should 27441 be considered instead?
27441 is the related tibial plateau arthroplasty code with debridement and partial synovectomy. The operative report must support that additional work.
What operative documentation supports 27440?
Document the knee surface treated, the arthroplasty performed, and the extent of reconstruction. The record should make clear that the service is limited to the tibial plateau.
Are related postoperative visits separately reported during the global period?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care. The included care is part of the surgical global period.
How does Medicare handle bilateral procedures and other procedures performed in the same session?
A bilateral procedure reported with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. For multiple procedures in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others are paid at 50%.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; team surgery 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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