Billing code 23552: AC joint reconstructionMedicare rate & RVUs in Iowa
Open reconstruction of an acromioclavicular separation using a graft, reported when operative treatment addresses an acute or chronic dislocation.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 23552 in Iowa.
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 23552 covers
An orthopedic surgeon uses an open approach to reduce and reconstruct a dislocated acromioclavicular joint with a graft. The procedure may be performed for an acute separation or a chronic separation requiring operative reconstruction; the graft helps restore support across the joint. The code applies to the acromioclavicular joint, where the clavicle meets the acromion, not the sternoclavicular joint or a clavicle fracture.
Report this code when the operative record supports open treatment of the acromioclavicular dislocation and graft use. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. For bilateral treatment, 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.
23552 in Iowa
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Iowa | Unavailable | $555.37 |
How the 23552 rate is calculated
Each of 23552’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 · 23552
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 8.60Practice expense 8.04Malpractice 1.69
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 23552
23552 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 23552
AC 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) | 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 · 23552
AC 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
23552 without 50 · national facility
$612.24
AC joint reconstruction
23552-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$918.36
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).
23552 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
23552 vs 23550 vs 23545 vs 23532: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 23550AC joint repair
- Choose 23552 when the open acromioclavicular reconstruction uses a graft. Choose 23550 for open treatment without a graft.
- 23545AC joint treatment
- This code describes open graft reconstruction; 23545 is closed treatment of an acromioclavicular dislocation with manipulation.
- 23532Joint reconstruction
- Both involve graft-assisted open treatment of a dislocation, but 23532 addresses the sternoclavicular joint; this code addresses the acromioclavicular joint.
23552 billing questions
How is this code different from 23550?
Both describe open treatment of an acromioclavicular dislocation. Use 23552 when the operative treatment includes a graft; 23550 is the related option without a graft.
Does the code include harvesting the graft?
The graft reconstruction is part of the service. Document the graft used and the open treatment performed; do not assume a separately reportable harvest service from the graft use alone.
When should 23545 be considered instead?
23545 is for closed treatment of an acromioclavicular dislocation with manipulation. This code is for open treatment with graft reconstruction.
What does the 90-day global period include?
It includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
Can this be reported for both shoulders?
For bilateral treatment, CMS pays the procedure with modifier 50 at 150%. The operative documentation should support treatment of both sides.
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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