$877.58
Both codes describe midfoot joint release services. Distinguish them by the operative extent and specific release documented; do not select solely by the diagnosis.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
28260 Midfoot release Medicare reimbursement rates in Iowa
Surgical release of a contracted midfoot joint capsule, sometimes with tendon lengthening, to address restricted motion or a fixed foot deformity. Compare 28260 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Iowa.
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 28260 in Iowa?
Iowa has 1 payment locality in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the payment area shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
$694.98
1 of 1 localities have a supported rate.
Payment area: Iowa
One mapped payment locality.
Facility setting
$466.99
1 of 1 localities have a supported rate.
Payment area: Iowa
One mapped payment locality.
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.
Foot surgery
About 28260: Midfoot joint capsular release
Surgical release of a contracted midfoot joint capsule, sometimes with tendon lengthening, to address restricted motion or a fixed foot deformity.
This operation releases a contracted capsule at a midfoot joint to improve joint motion or correct a fixed deformity. Tendon lengthening may be part of the correction. It is typically performed by an orthopedic foot and ankle surgeon or podiatric surgeon in an operating room, with the operative report identifying the affected joint and the structures released.
Report 28260 when the documented work is a midfoot joint release; describe the contracture, operative extent, and any tendon lengthening performed. The service has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. 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. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery services may be paid; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 28260
- 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
- Assistant at surgery may be paid.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons paid only with supporting documentation.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU7.99 · 35%
- Practice expense (office) RVU13.47 · 59%
- Malpractice RVU1.24 · 5%
382
Medicare services in 2024 · #3774 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.
28260 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Iowa, from the same CMS release.
$452.12
28270 concerns release of a foot contracture; 28260 is specific to a midfoot joint release. The operative target and work determine the choice.
$349.83
28272 is for release at a toe joint, while 28260 addresses a midfoot joint. Use the documented joint location to distinguish them.
$502.47
28222 describes tendon-directed release work. Choose 28260 when the operative service releases a contracted midfoot joint capsule.
Compare 28260 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.
1 of 1 payment localities
Iowa →
Office / nonfacility
$694.98
Facility
$466.99
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How this local rate is calculated
Each RVU component is multiplied by its own geographic practice cost index (GPCI). The three adjusted components are added, then multiplied by the conversion factor. These are the inputs used for 28260 in Iowa.
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
3,161
- Code
- 28260
- Physician work
- 7.99
- Practice expense
- 13.47
- Malpractice
- 1.24
GPCI2026.csv
53
- Locality
- Iowa
- Physician work
- 1.000
- Practice expense
- 0.915
- Malpractice
- 0.397
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 7.99 | × 1.000 | 7.9900 |
| Practice expense | 13.47 | × 0.915 | 12.3251 |
| Malpractice | 1.24 | × 0.397 | 0.4923 |
| Total RVUs | 20.8073 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Office / nonfacility rate, Iowa$694.98
Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula
Office / nonfacility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 7.99 | 1 |
| Practice expense | 13.47 | 0.915 |
| Malpractice | 1.24 | 0.397 |
(7.99 × 1 + 13.47 × 0.915 + 1.24 × 0.397) × $33.4009 = $694.98
Facility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 7.99 | 1 |
| Practice expense | 6.01 | 0.915 |
| Malpractice | 1.24 | 0.397 |
(7.99 × 1 + 6.01 × 0.915 + 1.24 × 0.397) × $33.4009 = $466.99
The office and facility calculations use their respective practice-expense RVUs. The facility amount here is the physician fee, not a separate hospital or facility bill.
28260 billing questions
How does 28260 differ from 28264?
Both concern release of a midfoot joint. Choose the code that matches the documented extent and specific operative work; 28264 represents a distinct midfoot release level.
When is 28260 preferable to a foot tendon-release code?
Use 28260 when the operative target is the midfoot joint capsule. A tendon-release code describes tendon-directed work rather than release of the joint capsule.
Can tendon lengthening be part of 28260?
Yes. Tendon lengthening may accompany the midfoot capsular release as part of correcting the contracture; document the tendon and work performed.
How should bilateral midfoot releases be reported?
Report the bilateral procedure with modifier 50. CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
What documentation supports assistant or co-surgeon payment?
Assistant-at-surgery services may be paid. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; 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.
3,15828238,,Revision of foot tendon,A,,7.76,11.81,,5.04,,0.95,20.52,13.75,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,15928240,,Release of big toe,A,,4.37,8.37,,3.48,,0.44,13.18,8.29,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,16028250,,Revision of foot fascia,A,,5.91,11.20,,4.84,,0.83,17.94,11.58,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,16128260,,Release of midfoot joint,A,,7.99,13.47,,6.01,,1.24,22.70,15.24,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,16228261,,Revision of foot tendon,A,,12.78,18.67,,8.56,,2.19,33.64,23.53,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,16328262,,Revision of foot and ankle,A,,16.78,24.34,,10.97,,3.20,44.32,30.95,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,16428264,,Release of midfoot joint,A,,10.38,16.62,,7.46,,1.73,28.73,19.57,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,2,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
5006102,IL,15,SUBURBAN CHICAGO,1.007,1.027,1.772
5106102,IL,99,REST OF ILLINOIS,1.000,0.913,1.563
5208102,IN,00,INDIANA,1.000,0.927,0.486
5305102,IA,00,IOWA,1.000,0.915,0.397
5405202,KS,00,KANSAS,1.000,0.904,0.504
5515102,KY,00,KENTUCKY,1.000,0.889,0.915
5607202,LA,01,NEW ORLEANS,1.000,0.941,1.136