Billing code 29906: Subtalar arthroscopyMedicare rate & RVUs in Maine
Report this code when a surgeon uses subtalar arthroscopy to remove or clean abnormal tissue within the joint, such as synovial or fibrous tissue.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 29906 in Maine.
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 29906 covers
An orthopedic foot and ankle surgeon typically performs this procedure in a hospital or ambulatory surgery center. Through small portals, the surgeon inspects the subtalar joint and debrides abnormal tissue, which may include inflamed synovium, scar tissue, or degenerative tissue contributing to pain or restricted motion. The operative report should identify the subtalar joint and describe the tissue treated and the arthroscopic work performed.
Select this code when debridement is the work performed, rather than loose-body removal, coalition excision, or fusion. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in one 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 payment may be made; co-surgeons and team surgery are 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.
Where 29906 pays more and less in Maine
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Rest Of Maine | Unavailable | $585.18 |
| Southern Maine | Unavailable | $604.01 |
How the 29906 rate is calculated
Each of 29906’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 · 29906
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work9.41
9.41 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense7.74
7.74 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.59
1.59 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
18.7400
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$625.93
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 29906
29906 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 29906
Subtalar arthroscopy
| 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) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| 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 · 29906
Subtalar arthroscopy
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
29906 without 50 · national facility
$625.93
Subtalar arthroscopy
29906-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$938.89
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).
29906 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 29904Subtalar arthroscopy
- Choose 29906 for debridement of abnormal subtalar tissue. Choose 29904 when the arthroscopic work removes a loose body or foreign body.
- 29905Subtalar arthroscopy
- 29905 is for arthroscopic excision of a tarsal coalition; 29906 is for debridement within the subtalar joint.
- 29907Subtalar fusion
- 29907 reports subtalar arthroscopic fusion. Use 29906 when the procedure is debridement rather than fusion.
- 29897Ankle arthroscopy
- 29897 describes arthroscopic debridement of the ankle joint. The treated joint distinguishes it from subtalar debridement under 29906.
29906 billing questions
How is this code different from subtalar loose-body removal?
Use 29906 for arthroscopic debridement of abnormal tissue. Use 29904 when the documented work is removal of a loose body or foreign body.
When should 29905 be reported instead?
29905 describes arthroscopic excision of a tarsal coalition. Report 29906 when the subtalar work is debridement rather than coalition excision.
What should the operative note document?
Document that the subtalar joint was treated arthroscopically and describe the abnormal tissue debrided and the work performed.
Does this code have a postoperative global period?
Yes. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
How is bilateral subtalar arthroscopy reported?
For bilateral procedures, report modifier 50; CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.
Can an assistant surgeon be paid?
CMS indicates that assistant-at-surgery payment may be made. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted for this code.
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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