Billing code 23532: Joint reconstructionMedicare rate & RVUs in Illinois
Reports open surgical treatment of an acute or chronic sternoclavicular dislocation when reconstruction uses a fascial graft to restore joint stability.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 23532 in Illinois.
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 23532 covers
An orthopedic surgeon uses this code for open treatment of a sternoclavicular joint dislocation, at the junction of the sternum and clavicle, when a fascial graft is used. It can describe graft-assisted reconstruction for an acute or chronic dislocation, including a chronic or recurrent instability case requiring operative restoration of joint stability. The operative report should identify the affected joint, the dislocation, and the graft-based work performed.
Report this code rather than the open-treatment code without a graft when the fascial graft is part of the procedure. 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 other procedures are subject to a 50% reduction. Bilateral treatment reported with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeons and team surgery are 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 23532 pays more and less in Illinois
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | Unavailable | $673.98 |
| East St. Louis | Unavailable | $632.93 |
| Rest Of Illinois | Unavailable | $605.41 |
| Suburban Chicago | Unavailable | $650.29 |
How the 23532 rate is calculated
Each of 23532’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 · 23532
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 8.00Practice expense 8.18Malpractice 1.70
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 23532
23532 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 23532
Joint reconstruction
| 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) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| 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 · 23532
Joint reconstruction
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
23532 without 50 · national facility
$597.21
Joint reconstruction
23532-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$895.82
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).
23532 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
23532 vs 23530 vs 23520 vs 23525 vs 23552: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 23530Joint dislocation surgery
- Both describe open treatment of an acute or chronic sternoclavicular dislocation. Choose 23532 when a fascial graft is used; choose 23530 when treatment does not include one.
- 23520Sternoclavicular treatment
- 23520 is closed treatment without manipulation. It does not describe the open graft reconstruction reported with 23532.
- 23525Joint reduction
- 23525 describes closed treatment with manipulation; 23532 describes open treatment that includes a fascial graft.
- 23552AC joint reconstruction
- 23552 is the graft-assisted open-treatment code for an acromioclavicular dislocation. Code 23532 is for a sternoclavicular dislocation.
23532 billing questions
When is 23532 used instead of 23530?
Use 23532 when open treatment of the sternoclavicular dislocation includes a fascial graft. Use 23530 for open treatment without a fascial graft.
Does the 90-day global include routine postoperative care?
Yes. The global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
How is bilateral treatment reported?
For bilateral sternoclavicular treatment, report modifier 50; CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.
Can an assistant surgeon be reported?
CMS permits payment for an assistant at surgery. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted for this code.
How does the multiple-procedure rule affect payment?
When other procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others are paid at 50%.
What documentation supports 23532?
Document the sternoclavicular dislocation, the side treated, and the open procedure and fascial graft work. The record should make clear why the graft was part of the treatment.
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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