Billing code 21060: TMJ meniscectomyMedicare rate & RVUs in Florida
Reports surgical removal of part or all of a temporomandibular joint disc when operative treatment requires excision of the joint’s meniscus.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 21060 in Florida.
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 21060 covers
Code 21060 covers surgical removal of part or all of the articular disc, or meniscus, in a temporomandibular joint. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons commonly perform this operation for a symptomatic or damaged TMJ disc when treatment requires excising disc tissue. The operative report should identify the treated joint, the extent of removal, relevant findings, and the clinical reason for surgery.
Report the service for the disc excision performed, distinguishing it from removal of the mandibular condyle or joint manipulation under anesthesia. CMS classifies the operation as major surgery with a 90-day global period; the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures at 50%. An assistant at surgery may be paid. 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.
Where 21060 pays more and less in Florida
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Lauderdale | Unavailable | $763.52 |
| Miami | Unavailable | $809.62 |
| Rest Of Florida | Unavailable | $730.24 |
How the 21060 rate is calculated
Each of 21060’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 · 21060
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 10.79Practice expense 9.13Malpractice 1.56
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 21060
21060 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 21060
TMJ meniscectomy
| 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 · 21060
TMJ meniscectomy
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
21060 without 50 · national facility
$717.45
TMJ meniscectomy
21060-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$1,076.18
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).
21060 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
21060 vs 21050 vs 21073 vs 21240: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 21050Condylectomy
- Choose 21060 for excision of TMJ disc tissue. Choose 21050 when the operation removes the mandibular condyle.
- 21073TMJ manipulation
- 21073 describes therapeutic manipulation of the TMJ under anesthesia. It does not represent surgical removal of the disc.
- 21240Jaw joint reconstruction
- 21240 describes TMJ arthroplasty, with or without an autograft. Use 21060 when the documented service is partial or complete removal of the joint disc.
21060 billing questions
How is 21060 different from removal of the mandibular condyle?
21060 is for excising the TMJ disc or meniscus. Code 21050 concerns removal of the mandibular condyle, a different joint structure.
Can 21060 be reported for manipulation of the TMJ under anesthesia?
No. 21060 represents surgical disc excision; 21073 is for therapeutic manipulation of the TMJ under anesthesia when manipulation, rather than tissue removal, is performed.
What documentation supports 21060?
The operative report should describe the TMJ treated, the disc tissue removed, whether the excision was partial or complete, and the findings and indication supporting surgery.
How should bilateral TMJ meniscectomy be reported?
When both joints are treated, report the bilateral procedure with modifier 50. CMS lists bilateral payment at 150%.
How does the 90-day global period affect postoperative billing?
The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included in the global period for 21060.
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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