Billing code 26352: Tendon repairMedicare rate & RVUs in Georgia
Secondary repair of a flexor tendon in the hand or finger without a free graft, reported for each tendon treated during a delayed procedure.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 26352 in Georgia.
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 26352 covers
This code describes secondary repair of a flexor tendon in the hand or finger without using a free tendon graft. A hand surgeon may perform it when a tendon needs repair after the initial injury or operation, rather than as a primary repair. The service is typically performed in an operating room, with the operative report identifying the tendon and the nature of the secondary repair.
Report one unit for each tendon repaired. Documentation should establish that the procedure is secondary, identify the hand or finger tendon treated, and support that no free graft was used. The code has 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 procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. 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 26352 pays more and less in Georgia
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | Unavailable | $823.32 |
| Rest Of Georgia | Unavailable | $760.23 |
How the 26352 rate is calculated
Each of 26352’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 · 26352
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work7.67
7.67 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense14.94
14.94 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.48
1.48 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
24.0900
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$804.63
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 26352
26352 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 26352
Tendon repair
| 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) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| 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 · 26352
Tendon repair
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 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
26352 without 51 · national facility
$804.63
Tendon repair
26352-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$402.32
When this isn’t the highest-valued procedure in the session, Medicare pays 50% of its fee schedule amount (the highest is paid at 100%).
26352 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 26350Flexor tendon repair
- 26350 is for primary flexor tendon repair without a free graft. Use 26352 when the documented procedure is secondary.
- 26357Flexor tendon repair
- Both describe secondary flexor tendon procedures without a free graft; 26357 includes repair or advancement, while 26352 describes secondary repair.
- 26358Hand tendon repair
- 26358 describes flexor tendon repair or advancement with a free graft. This code is for secondary repair without a free graft.
- 26372Hand tendon repair
- 26372 is a graft repair or advancement code for an extensor tendon. This code concerns secondary flexor tendon repair without a free graft.
26352 billing questions
How does this differ from a primary tendon repair?
This code is for secondary repair without a free graft. Use the primary-repair code when the operative service is a primary repair rather than a secondary procedure.
Is the code reported per tendon?
Yes. Report one unit for each flexor tendon repaired, with the operative documentation identifying the tendon or tendons treated.
Can modifier 50 be used when both hands are treated?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code; modifier 50 should not be used.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
An assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; team surgery is not permitted.
How are other procedures in the same session paid?
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
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