Billing code 27870: Ankle fusionMedicare rate & RVUs in Minnesota
Reports open fusion of the ankle’s tibiotalar joint, commonly for painful arthritis or deformity when permanent stabilization is planned.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 27870 in Minnesota.
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 27870 covers
An orthopedic surgeon exposes the tibiotalar joint, prepares the opposing bone surfaces, aligns the ankle, and stabilizes it to achieve fusion. This operation is commonly performed for advanced post-traumatic or degenerative ankle arthritis, painful deformity, or instability when preserving ankle motion is not the treatment goal. It is typically performed in a hospital or ambulatory surgery setting.
Report 27870 when the operative work is an open fusion of the tibiotalar joint; documentation should identify the joint, open approach, indication, and stabilization performed. The 90-day global period includes 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. Modifier 50 is paid at 150% for a bilateral procedure. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is 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.
27870 in Minnesota
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | Unavailable | $874.38 |
How the 27870 rate is calculated
Each of 27870’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 · 27870
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work15.02
15.02 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense10.07
10.07 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice2.69
2.69 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
27.7800
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$927.88
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 27870
27870 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 27870
Ankle fusion
| 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) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| 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 · 27870
Ankle fusion
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
27870 without 50 · national facility
$927.88
Ankle fusion
27870-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$1,391.82
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).
27870 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 27702Ankle replacement
- Use 27870 for open ankle fusion; 27702 describes ankle joint replacement. The operative plan distinguishes permanent fusion from prosthetic replacement.
- 27871Joint fusion
- 27870 fuses the tibiotalar joint. 27871 is for fusion of the distal tibiofibular joint, a separate articulation.
- 28705Pantalar fusion
- 27870 is limited to ankle-joint fusion. 28705 describes pantalar fusion, which extends across the ankle and hindfoot joints.
27870 billing questions
How is 27870 different from distal tibiofibular fusion?
27870 is for open fusion of the tibiotalar ankle joint. A fusion limited to the distal tibiofibular joint is a different operation.
Does 27870 describe an ankle replacement?
No. It reports fusion, which permanently joins the ankle bones; ankle arthroplasty replaces the joint and is a different procedure.
What documentation supports reporting 27870?
Document the tibiotalar joint as the fusion site, the open approach, the clinical reason for fusion, and the work performed to prepare and stabilize the joint.
How does the global period affect postoperative visits?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
Can 27870 be reported bilaterally or with an assistant?
Modifier 50 applies to a bilateral procedure and is paid at 150%. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation.
What happens when another procedure is performed in the same session?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, with other procedures subject to the standard multiple procedure reduction. 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 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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