Billing code 28760: Big toe fusionMedicare rate & RVUs in Florida
Reports surgical fusion of a great toe joint, performed to stabilize or correct a painful or deformed toe when arthrodesis is the chosen treatment.
Medicare pays $781.70–$856.04 for 28760 in the office in Florida, from Rest Of Florida to Miami. Which amount applies depends on the service address.
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 28760 covers
An orthopedic or podiatric surgeon surgically prepares the surfaces of a great toe joint for fusion and stabilizes the toe, often with fixation, so the bones heal together. The operation may address painful arthritis, deformity, or instability when preserving motion is not the treatment goal. It is generally performed in an operating room or ambulatory surgery setting; the operative report should identify the joint treated and the work performed.
Report this code when the documented operation matches the great toe joint fusion service, rather than a fusion of another foot joint or a different great toe procedure. The operative note should support the indication, treated site, arthrodesis, and any fixation. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Bilateral reporting with 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.
Where 28760 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.
3 payment localities
$781.70 to $856.04
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Lauderdale | $818.12 | $567.74 |
| Miami | $856.04 | $598.74 |
| Rest Of Florida | $781.70 | $545.41 |
How the 28760 rate is calculated
Each of 28760’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 · 28760
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 8.91Practice expense 13.51Malpractice 1.05
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 28760
28760 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 28760
Big toe 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 · 28760
Big toe 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
28760 without 50 · national office
$783.92
Big toe fusion
28760-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$1,175.88
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).
28760 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
28760 vs 28750 vs 28755 vs 28740: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 28750Great toe fusion
- Code 28750 is for fusion at the great toe metatarsophalangeal joint. This code should be selected only when the documented great toe fusion matches its specific service.
- 28755Big toe fusion
- Code 28755 is for fusion at the great toe interphalangeal joint. Use the operative documentation to distinguish the joint and applicable service.
- 28740Foot fusion
- Code 28740 describes fusion of a foot joint outside the great toe-specific fusion services. The operative site determines which code fits.
28760 billing questions
How does this differ from 28750?
Both describe great toe fusion services, but 28750 identifies fusion at the metatarsophalangeal joint. Use the code supported by the exact joint and procedure documented.
How does this differ from 28755?
Code 28755 identifies fusion of the great toe interphalangeal joint. Confirm the joint treated in the operative report before choosing between these great toe fusion codes.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
Can modifier 50 be reported for bilateral surgery?
Yes. CMS lists bilateral reporting with modifier 50, paid at 150%.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made. 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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