Billing code 27497: Compartment decompressionMedicare rate & RVUs in Delaware
Reports operative decompression of a thigh or knee compartment, typically for compartment syndrome requiring surgical release.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 27497 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 27497 covers
This code covers operative decompression of a compartment in the thigh or around the knee. It is most relevant when elevated compartment pressure requires surgical release, such as in an acute limb-threatening presentation after trauma or surgery. An orthopedic surgeon or another surgeon qualified to perform the procedure typically provides the service in a hospital operating room. The operative report should identify the treated site and describe the decompression performed.
Select this code from the documented procedure and the full billing code descriptor, distinguishing it from nearby decompression entries rather than relying on the CMS short descriptor alone. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For bilateral reporting with modifier 50, CMS pays 150%. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are paid at 50%. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity; co-surgeons are permitted, while 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.
27497 in Delaware
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Delaware | Unavailable | $544.66 |
How the 27497 rate is calculated
Each of 27497’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 · 27497
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 7.60Practice expense 7.30Malpractice 1.62
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 27497
27497 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 27497
Compartment decompression
| 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) | 2 | 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 · 27497
Compartment decompression
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
27497 without 50 · national facility
$551.78
Compartment decompression
27497-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$827.67
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).
27497 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
27497 vs 27496 vs 27498 vs 27602 vs 27499: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 27496Thigh fasciotomy
- Both are nearby thigh or knee decompression entries. Use the full billing code descriptors and operative details to identify the procedure performed; the short descriptors alone do not distinguish them.
- 27498Fasciotomy
- This is another nearby decompression entry. Select between the codes by matching the documented site and operative work to each full descriptor.
- 27602Leg decompression
- This code concerns decompression of lower-leg compartments. Use it when the operative site is the lower leg rather than the thigh or knee.
- 27499Unlisted procedure
- Use the unlisted femur or knee procedure code only when no listed code accurately describes the documented service.
27497 billing questions
When should this code be considered for a fasciotomy?
Consider it when the operative service is decompression of a thigh or knee compartment. Confirm the specific procedure against the full billing code descriptor and the operative report.
How do I distinguish this code from 27496 or 27498?
These are neighboring decompression entries. Compare the full descriptors with the operative report’s documented site and work; the shared CMS short descriptor does not provide enough detail to choose among them.
Does the 90-day global period include related postoperative care?
Yes. CMS includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care in this major-surgery global period.
How is bilateral reporting handled?
CMS pays bilateral reporting with modifier 50 at 150%. The documentation should support decompression on both sides.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity. Co-surgeons are permitted; team surgery is not permitted.
How does CMS handle another procedure performed in the same session?
Under the standard multiple-procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are paid at 50%.
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
Fee sheets
Put 27497 and the rest of your codes on one sheet
Build a fee sheet from your own code list at your locality, put your payer contracts beside Medicare, and see what changed each quarter.
Build my fee sheetOr price your code list free →