No office rate
This code describes a knee arthrotomy for exploration, drainage, or foreign-body removal; 27435 is for posterior capsular release.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
27435 Knee capsulotomy Medicare reimbursement rates in Maine
Reports surgical release of the posterior knee capsule, typically to improve motion when capsular contracture limits knee extension. Compare 27435 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Maine.
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 27435 in Maine?
Maine has 2 payment localities in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the 2 payment areas shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
No supported rate
Facility setting
$706.05–$730.31
2 of 2 localities have a supported rate.
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 27435: Posterior knee capsular release
Reports surgical release of the posterior knee capsule, typically to improve motion when capsular contracture limits knee extension.
This procedure releases the posterior capsule of the knee through a surgical incision. An orthopedic surgeon may perform it for a fixed knee flexion contracture that restricts extension, often in a facility setting and sometimes as part of a broader operation for a stiff knee. The operative report should identify the posterior capsular release and the affected knee; a general description of knee exposure alone does not establish this service.
Report the code for the posterior release itself, not for an arthrotomy performed for another purpose, such as drainage or exploration. It has a 90-day global period that includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during that period. 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%. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 27435
- 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 RVU10.61 · 47%
- Practice expense (office) RVU9.95 · 44%
- Malpractice RVU2.21 · 10%
1.1K
Medicare services in 2024 · #2883 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.
27435 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Maine, from the same CMS release.
No office rate
This code releases the lateral retinaculum. Use 27435 for release of the posterior knee capsule, not a lateral patellar release.
No office rate
Quadricepsplasty addresses restriction involving the quadriceps mechanism; 27435 releases the posterior capsule. Both require documentation when performed.
Compare 27435 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.
2 of 2 payment localities
Rest Of Maine →
Office / nonfacility
Unavailable
Facility
$706.05
Southern Maine →
Office / nonfacility
Unavailable
Facility
$730.31
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27435 billing questions
When should this code be selected instead of a knee arthrotomy code?
Use this code for a documented posterior capsular release to improve motion. An arthrotomy code for exploration, drainage, or foreign-body removal describes a different purpose.
Does this code include a quadricepsplasty?
No. The posterior capsular release and a quadricepsplasty address different tissues; report a separately performed quadricepsplasty when the operative documentation supports it.
What documentation supports the service?
Document the knee treated, the posterior capsule release, and the contracture or motion restriction addressed. The record should distinguish the release from routine exposure or another knee procedure.
How is bilateral surgery reported?
CMS identifies this as a bilateral procedure; modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Document the release on both knees.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care through 90 days after surgery.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available. 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.
2,88827428,,Reconstruction knee,A,,15.19,12.73,NA,12.73,,3.23,31.15,31.15,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,88927429,,Reconstruction knee,A,,17.10,14.35,NA,14.35,,3.64,35.09,35.09,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,89027430,,Revision of thigh muscles,A,,9.91,8.92,NA,8.92,,2.10,20.93,20.93,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,89127435,,Incision of knee joint,A,,10.61,9.95,NA,9.95,,2.21,22.77,22.77,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,89227437,,Revise kneecap,A,,8.71,8.16,NA,8.16,,1.84,18.71,18.71,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,1,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,89327438,,Revise kneecap with implant,A,,11.59,9.39,NA,9.39,,2.43,23.41,23.41,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
2,89427440,,Revision of knee joint,A,,10.81,9.21,NA,9.21,,2.31,22.33,22.33,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00