Billing code 27580: Knee fusionMedicare rate & RVUs in Florida
Reports surgical fusion of the knee to create a stable, immobile joint, typically as salvage for severe pain, infection, or failed reconstruction.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 27580 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 27580 covers
Code 27580 describes an operation that fuses the knee joint, eliminating motion to provide a stable limb. Orthopedic surgeons may use it as a salvage procedure for a severely damaged or unstable knee, including some cases of infection or failed knee replacement when another reconstruction is not suitable. The procedure is generally performed in a hospital or other surgical facility.
Report the code when the surgeon performs knee arthrodesis, not for fracture fixation, manipulation of a stiff knee, or prosthesis removal alone. The operative report should support the fusion, the treated side, and the clinical reason for choosing arthrodesis. CMS 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 is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. 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 27580 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 | $1,479.19 |
| Miami | Unavailable | $1,598.81 |
| Rest Of Florida | Unavailable | $1,405.02 |
How the 27580 rate is calculated
Each of 27580’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 · 27580
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work20.57
20.57 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense15.63
15.63 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice4.36
4.36 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
40.5600
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$1,354.74
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 27580
27580 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 27580
Knee fusion
| 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 · 27580
Knee fusion
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
27580 without 50 · national facility
$1,354.74
Knee fusion
27580-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$2,032.11
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).
27580 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 27570Knee manipulation
- 27570 describes manipulation of the knee under anesthesia to address restricted motion; 27580 is surgical fusion that permanently eliminates knee motion.
- 27447Total knee replacement
- 27447 is primary total knee replacement, which preserves a prosthetic articulation. Report 27580 when the operation fuses the joint instead.
- 27487Knee revision
- 27487 describes revision of a total knee replacement involving both components. It is distinct from salvage arthrodesis reported with 27580.
27580 billing questions
When should I report 27580 instead of a knee replacement code?
Use 27580 when the surgeon fuses the knee rather than replacing or revising its joint surfaces. The operative report should document the arthrodesis and its salvage rationale.
Can prosthesis removal be reported with the fusion?
A surgeon may remove an infected or failed knee prosthesis as part of a salvage operation before fusion. Code 27488 describes knee prosthesis removal; document the work performed and consider applicable coding edits.
Does 27580 include routine postoperative visits?
Yes. Its 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during the 90 days after surgery.
How does Medicare handle an assistant or co-surgeon?
An assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, while team surgery is not permitted under the stated CMS rules.
How is bilateral knee fusion reported?
For bilateral procedures reported with modifier 50, CMS pays 150% under the stated rule. The documentation should establish that both knees were treated.
What happens when other procedures are performed in the same session?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction, with payment 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
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