Billing code 28210: Tendon repairMedicare rate & RVUs in Illinois
Reports delayed or secondary reconstruction of a foot extensor tendon using a free graft, including the graft harvest, when direct repair is not performed.
Medicare pays $581.28–$634.90 for 28210 in the office in Illinois, from Rest Of Illinois to Chicago. 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 28210 covers
This service reconstructs a foot extensor tendon during a secondary repair using a free tendon graft. It is used for a tendon that cannot be repaired directly in a delayed setting, such as after a prior injury has left a gap or deficient tendon tissue. An orthopedic foot and ankle surgeon or podiatric surgeon typically performs the reconstruction in an operating room. The graft harvest is part of the service.
Report 28210 when the operative record supports a secondary extensor tendon reconstruction with a free graft; distinguish it from a repair without graft and from graft repair of a flexor tendon. Document the involved tendon, the reason a secondary reconstruction was needed, and the graft use and harvest. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made; co-surgeon and team-surgery payment are not permitted. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code.
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 28210 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.
4 payment localities
$581.28 to $634.90
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $634.90 | $433.49 |
| East St. Louis | $595.54 | $411.17 |
| Rest Of Illinois | $581.28 | $398.31 |
| Suburban Chicago | $629.18 | $423.36 |
How the 28210 rate is calculated
Each of 28210’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 · 28210
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work6.36
6.36 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense10.76
10.76 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.78
0.78 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
17.9000
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$597.88
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 28210
28210 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 28210
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) | 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 · 28210
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
28210 without 51 · national office
$597.88
Tendon repair
28210-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$298.94
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%).
28210 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 28208Tendon repair
- Choose 28210 for secondary extensor tendon reconstruction using a free graft. Choose 28208 for extensor tendon repair without a free graft.
- 28202Tendon repair
- Both describe secondary tendon repair with a free graft, but 28202 is for a foot flexor tendon and 28210 is for a foot extensor tendon.
- 28200Foot tendon repair
- 28200 is a foot flexor tendon repair without a free graft. It does not describe secondary extensor reconstruction with grafting.
28210 billing questions
How does 28210 differ from 28208?
28210 is for secondary foot extensor tendon reconstruction with a free graft. 28208 describes extensor tendon repair without a free graft.
Does 28210 include obtaining the graft?
Yes. Graft harvest is included in this secondary repair service, rather than separately represented by 28210.
When is 28210 preferred to 28202?
Use 28210 for a foot extensor tendon reconstructed with a free graft. 28202 is the corresponding graft repair code for a flexor tendon.
Can modifier 50 be used for bilateral work?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code; modifier 50 is not appropriate.
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% when performed in the same session.
What documentation supports reporting 28210?
Document the extensor tendon treated, why repair was secondary rather than primary, and the use and harvest of a free graft.
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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