CPT code 29823: Arthroscopic debridement2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Delaware
Reports therapeutic shoulder arthroscopy involving extensive debridement of three or more distinct structures, such as labrum, cartilage, or rotator cuff tissue.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 29823 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 29823 covers
An orthopedic or sports medicine surgeon uses a shoulder arthroscope and instruments to remove or smooth damaged, unstable, or inflamed tissue in multiple distinct structures. Operative examples can include debridement of frayed labral tissue, articular cartilage, rotator cuff tissue, or synovium; the defining distinction from limited debridement is work on at least three separate structures. The service is commonly performed in an outpatient operating room or hospital operating room for conditions such as degenerative or traumatic shoulder damage.
Report the extensive service when the operative note identifies the distinct structures treated and the debridement performed on each; the amount of tissue removed or operative time alone does not establish the level. A 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When related endoscopic procedures are performed together, CMS endoscopy-family pricing applies. For bilateral procedures, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made; 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.
29823 in Delaware
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Delaware | Unavailable | $551.87 |
How the 29823 rate is calculated
Each of 29823’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 · 29823
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work7.78
7.78 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense7.39
7.39 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.56
1.56 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
16.7300
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$558.80
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 29823
29823 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 29823
Arthroscopic debridement
| 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 | 3 | Endoscopy family rules apply. |
| 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 · 29823
Arthroscopic debridement
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
29823 without 50 · national facility
$558.80
Arthroscopic debridement
29823-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$838.20
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).
29823 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 29822Shoulder debridement
- Choose 29823 for debridement involving at least three distinct structures; 29822 is the limited level for one or two.
- 29821Shoulder arthroscopy
- 29821 describes complete synovectomy. Extensive debridement is selected for therapeutic work across multiple structures, not simply removal of synovium.
- 29827Rotator cuff repair
- 29827 is arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Debridement removes or smooths tissue and does not describe repairing the cuff.
- 29805Shoulder arthroscopy
- 29805 is diagnostic shoulder arthroscopy; 29823 describes therapeutic debridement of multiple structures.
29823 billing questions
How is extensive debridement distinguished from limited debridement?
Extensive debridement involves at least three distinct shoulder structures. Limited debridement is the neighboring service for work on one or two structures.
What should the operative note document?
Identify each distinct structure debrided and describe the therapeutic work performed there. A general statement that the surgeon performed extensive debridement does not show which structures support the level.
Can this be reported with a shoulder repair performed during the same arthroscopy?
A separate repair may occur in the same session, but report debridement only when its work is distinct and separately reportable under applicable coding edits. CMS endoscopy-family pricing applies when related endoscopies are performed together.
What does the 90-day global period include?
It includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
How are bilateral procedures and surgical assistance handled?
Modifier 50 is used for a bilateral procedure, with payment at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and 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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