No office rate
29870 is diagnostic, with optional synovial biopsy. 29871 describes arthroscopy performed to treat infection in the knee.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
29870 Knee arthroscopy Medicare reimbursement rates in Georgia
Reports arthroscopic inspection of the knee for diagnostic purposes, including an optional synovial biopsy when tissue sampling is part of the evaluation. Compare 29870 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Georgia.
Amounts below use the non-QP conversion factor for participating physicians. These are base physician payments before claim-level adjustments, not patient costs or total hospital charges.
What does Medicare pay for 29870 in Georgia?
Georgia has 2 payment localities in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the 2 payment areas shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
$566.35–$616.70
2 of 2 localities have a supported rate.
Facility setting
$385.20–$410.37
2 of 2 localities have a supported rate.
These are locality ranges, not averages or address-specific quotes. A facility-setting amount covers the physician service; it does not include a hospital’s separate bill. Choose a locality below to inspect its calculation, compare other payment areas, or price a percentage of Medicare.
Orthopedic surgery
About 29870: Diagnostic knee arthroscopy with biopsy
Reports arthroscopic inspection of the knee for diagnostic purposes, including an optional synovial biopsy when tissue sampling is part of the evaluation.
The orthopedic surgeon examines the knee joint through an arthroscope to evaluate an unresolved problem, such as persistent pain or suspected intra-articular disease. The surgeon may also take a synovial tissue sample for laboratory examination. This service is typically performed in an operating room or ambulatory surgery setting when imaging, examination, or other evaluation has not established the diagnosis.
Select this code when the arthroscopy is diagnostic, with or without synovial biopsy, rather than a therapeutic arthroscopic procedure. The operative report should support the diagnostic purpose, document the areas examined and findings, and describe any biopsy. 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 is restricted; co-surgeons are paid only with supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 29870
- Global period
- Major surgery with a 90-day global period: the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included.
- Multiple procedures
- Standard multiple procedure reduction: the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50% when performed in the same session.
- Bilateral procedures
- Bilateral procedure with modifier 50 is paid at 150%.
- Assistant at surgery
- Statutory restriction: assistant at surgery is not paid.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons paid only with supporting documentation.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU5.06 · 28%
- Practice expense (office) RVU11.96 · 66%
- Malpractice RVU1.03 · 6%
352
Medicare services in 2024 · #3851 by national volume
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.
29870 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Georgia, from the same CMS release.
No office rate
29875 is for limited synovectomy, which removes synovial tissue as treatment. A biopsy taken during diagnostic inspection remains within 29870.
No office rate
29876 describes major synovectomy involving extensive synovial removal, not diagnostic inspection or tissue sampling alone.
No office rate
29881 reports arthroscopic meniscectomy in one compartment. When that treatment is performed, the diagnostic inspection of the same knee is generally integral.
Compare 29870 by payment locality
Find the payment area for your service address, then open its rate page for calculation inputs, release history and the percentage-of-Medicare tool. A city may cross payment-area boundaries; the ZIP lookup above helps resolve the location.
2 of 2 payment localities
Atlanta →
Office / nonfacility
$616.70
Facility
$410.37
Rest Of Georgia →
Office / nonfacility
$566.35
Facility
$385.20
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29870 billing questions
When should 29870 be chosen instead of a therapeutic knee arthroscopy code?
Use 29870 when the surgeon performs diagnostic inspection, with or without synovial biopsy, rather than a procedure to treat a finding. If the surgeon performs a definitive arthroscopic intervention in the same knee, report the therapeutic procedure rather than separately reporting the diagnostic inspection.
Is synovial biopsy included in 29870?
Yes. The code includes diagnostic knee arthroscopy whether or not the surgeon takes a synovial biopsy. A separately performed laboratory examination of the tissue may be reported by the appropriate laboratory provider.
Can 29870 be reported with a knee meniscectomy performed during the same session?
The diagnostic inspection is generally integral when the surgeon proceeds to a therapeutic arthroscopy in the same knee. Report the code for the meniscectomy, such as 29881 for a single-compartment meniscectomy, rather than separately reporting 29870.
How does the 90-day global period affect billing?
The global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. CMS applies this period to 29870.
How is bilateral 29870 reported under the CMS facts?
When the procedure is performed on both knees, report modifier 50; CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be paid for 29870?
CMS restricts assistant-at-surgery payment for this code. Co-surgeons are paid only when supporting documentation is provided; 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 indices and the applicable conversion factor. Unavailable or separately priced services are labeled rather than assigned a made-up amount.
Source: RVU26D. Effective 2026-10-01 through the day before 2027-01-01.
3,35029866,,Autgrft implnt knee w/scope,A,,14.30,11.98,NA,11.98,,3.04,29.32,29.32,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,35129867,,Allgrft implnt knee w/scope,A,,17.93,13.53,NA,13.53,,3.83,35.29,35.29,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,35229868,,Meniscal trnspl knee w/scpe,A,,24.47,15.62,NA,15.62,,5.19,45.28,45.28,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,35329870,,Arthrs knee dx w/wo syn bx,A,,5.06,11.96,,5.88,,1.03,18.05,11.97,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,1,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,35429871,,Arthrs knee surg for infctj,A,,6.52,6.84,NA,6.84,,1.35,14.71,14.71,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,3,1,1,0,0,9,29870,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,35529873,,Arthrs knee surg w/lat rls,A,,6.08,8.26,NA,8.26,,1.26,15.60,15.60,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,3,1,1,1,0,9,29870,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,35629874,,Arthrs knee surg rmv loos/fb,A,,7.01,6.72,NA,6.72,,1.42,15.15,15.15,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,3,1,0,0,0,9,29870,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00