This code is for open deposit removal. Code 29822 is for arthroscopic limited debridement, not an open approach.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
23000 Calcium deposit removal Medicare reimbursement rates in Kentucky
Reports open surgical removal of a calcareous deposit in the shoulder’s subdeltoid region, commonly for symptomatic calcific tendinitis. Compare 23000 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Kentucky.
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 23000 in Kentucky?
Kentucky 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
$524.86
1 of 1 localities have a supported rate.
Payment area: Kentucky
One mapped payment locality.
Facility setting
$315.53
1 of 1 localities have a supported rate.
Payment area: Kentucky
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.
Orthopedic surgery
About 23000: Open removal of shoulder calcium deposit
Reports open surgical removal of a calcareous deposit in the shoulder’s subdeltoid region, commonly for symptomatic calcific tendinitis.
This code describes open removal of a calcareous deposit in the subdeltoid region of the shoulder, often in a patient with symptomatic calcific tendinitis. An orthopedic surgeon typically performs the operation in a hospital or ambulatory surgery setting, using an open incision to reach and remove the deposit. The operative report should establish the shoulder site, open approach, and removal of the deposit.
Report the service when the surgeon performs this open removal; do not select it for arthroscopic debridement or for treatment directed at a different problem, such as an abscess or joint foreign body. 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 at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 23000
- 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 RVU4.37 · 26%
- Practice expense (office) RVU12.04 · 70%
- Malpractice RVU0.70 · 4%
174
Medicare services in 2024 · #4447 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.
23000 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Kentucky, from the same CMS release.
Choose this code for open deposit removal; 29823 describes arthroscopic extensive debridement when the documented arthroscopic work meets that level.
This code removes a calcareous deposit in the subdeltoid region. Code 23035 concerns incision into shoulder bone cortex, a different target and procedure.
Compare 23000 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
Kentucky →
Office / nonfacility
$524.86
Facility
$315.53
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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 23000 in Kentucky.
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
2,148
- Code
- 23000
- Physician work
- 4.37
- Practice expense
- 12.04
- Malpractice
- 0.70
GPCI2026.csv
55
- Locality
- Kentucky
- Physician work
- 1.000
- Practice expense
- 0.889
- Malpractice
- 0.915
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 4.37 | × 1.000 | 4.3700 |
| Practice expense | 12.04 | × 0.889 | 10.7036 |
| Malpractice | 0.70 | × 0.915 | 0.6405 |
| Total RVUs | 15.7141 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Office / nonfacility rate, Kentucky$524.86
Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula
Office / nonfacility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 4.37 | 1 |
| Practice expense | 12.04 | 0.889 |
| Malpractice | 0.7 | 0.915 |
(4.37 × 1 + 12.04 × 0.889 + 0.7 × 0.915) × $33.4009 = $524.86
Facility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 4.37 | 1 |
| Practice expense | 4.99 | 0.889 |
| Malpractice | 0.7 | 0.915 |
(4.37 × 1 + 4.99 × 0.889 + 0.7 × 0.915) × $33.4009 = $315.53
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.
23000 billing questions
When should this code be chosen over shoulder arthroscopy codes?
Use this code for open removal of a subdeltoid calcareous deposit. Arthroscopic debridement codes describe a different approach and are selected according to the arthroscopic work performed.
Does the code include postoperative visits?
Yes. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
How is bilateral removal reported?
CMS identifies this as a bilateral procedure; when both shoulders are treated and modifier 50 is reported, payment is at 150%.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; CMS does not permit team surgery for this code.
What documentation supports reporting this service?
The operative report should identify the shoulder and subdeltoid deposit, document the open approach, and describe its removal. It should distinguish this work from arthroscopic debridement or treatment of another shoulder condition.
How are additional 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%.
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.
