No office rate
29836 represents complete elbow synovectomy; 29835 is for partial synovectomy. Base the choice on the extent documented in the operative report.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
29836 Elbow arthroscopy Medicare reimbursement rates in Maine
Reports arthroscopic removal of synovial tissue throughout the elbow joint when diffuse synovitis requires a complete rather than partial synovectomy. Compare 29836 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 29836 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
$509.95–$528.00
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 29836: Complete elbow arthroscopic synovectomy
Reports arthroscopic removal of synovial tissue throughout the elbow joint when diffuse synovitis requires a complete rather than partial synovectomy.
An orthopedic surgeon uses an arthroscope and instruments passed through small portals to remove synovial tissue throughout the elbow joint. The procedure treats diffuse synovial disease, such as persistent inflammatory or proliferative synovitis, when the operative work is a complete synovectomy rather than limited tissue removal. It is typically performed in a hospital outpatient department or ambulatory surgery center; Medicare reported facility services for this code in 2024.
Choose this code when the operative report supports synovectomy throughout the joint, not a partial synovectomy or debridement alone. Documentation should describe the synovial disease and extent of tissue removed. The service has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When related endoscopies are performed together, CMS applies endoscopy-family pricing. Modifier 50 identifies a bilateral procedure, paid at 150%. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeons require supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 29836
- 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
- Endoscopy family pricing applies when related endoscopies are performed together.
- 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 RVU7.53 · 46%
- Practice expense (office) RVU7.43 · 45%
- Malpractice RVU1.45 · 9%
163
Medicare services in 2024 · #4497 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.
29836 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Maine, from the same CMS release.
No office rate
29837 describes limited arthroscopic elbow debridement, rather than complete synovial-tissue removal.
No office rate
29838 describes extensive arthroscopic elbow debridement. Use 29836 when the operative service is complete synovectomy.
No office rate
29830 is diagnostic elbow arthroscopy. A documented therapeutic complete synovectomy is reported with 29836.
Compare 29836 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
$509.95
Southern Maine →
Office / nonfacility
Unavailable
Facility
$528.00
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29836 billing questions
How do I distinguish this code from 29835?
Use 29836 for complete synovectomy of the elbow and 29835 for partial synovectomy. The operative report should support the extent performed.
Can diagnostic elbow arthroscopy be reported separately?
Code 29830 describes diagnostic elbow arthroscopy. When a therapeutic synovectomy is performed, report the surgical service supported by the operative work rather than treating the diagnostic inspection as a separate procedure.
What payment rule applies when related endoscopies are performed together?
CMS applies endoscopy-family pricing when related endoscopies are performed together. The claim should reflect the procedures actually documented.
How is a bilateral procedure identified?
Use modifier 50 for a bilateral procedure; CMS pays it 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.
May an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
An assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeons are paid only with supporting documentation, and 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.
3,32929830,,Elbow arthroscopy,A,,5.73,6.19,NA,6.19,,1.23,13.15,13.15,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,33029834,,Elbow arthroscopy/surgery,A,,6.26,6.51,NA,6.51,,1.26,14.03,14.03,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,3,1,2,1,0,9,29830,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,33129835,,Elbow arthroscopy/surgery,A,,6.45,6.77,NA,6.77,,1.36,14.58,14.58,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,3,1,2,1,0,9,29830,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,33229836,,Elbow arthroscopy/surgery,A,,7.53,7.43,NA,7.43,,1.45,16.41,16.41,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,3,1,2,1,0,9,29830,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,33329837,,Elbow arthroscopy/surgery,A,,6.83,6.89,NA,6.89,,1.45,15.17,15.17,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,3,1,2,1,0,9,29830,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,33429838,,Elbow arthroscopy/surgery,A,,7.68,7.50,NA,7.50,,1.54,16.72,16.72,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,3,1,0,0,0,9,29830,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,33529840,,Wrist arthroscopy,A,,5.54,6.48,NA,6.48,,1.19,13.21,13.21,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00