No office rate
29894 specifically describes arthroscopic removal of a loose body or foreign body. Use 29899 only when the ankle procedure is not represented by a specific listed code.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
29899 Ankle arthroscopy Medicare reimbursement rates in Nebraska
Reports an ankle arthroscopic operation when no specific CPT code describes the distinct work performed in the ankle joint. Compare 29899 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Nebraska.
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 29899 in Nebraska?
Nebraska 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
No supported rate
Facility setting
$839.74
1 of 1 localities have a supported rate.
Payment area: Nebraska
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 29899: Unlisted ankle arthroscopy procedure
Reports an ankle arthroscopic operation when no specific CPT code describes the distinct work performed in the ankle joint.
An orthopedic surgeon typically reports 29899 for arthroscopic ankle work that has no specific listed CPT code. The service is performed in the ankle joint, commonly in a hospital outpatient department or ambulatory surgery center. This unlisted code identifies the procedure as arthroscopic, but does not specify the operative objective or extent; the operative report must make those details clear.
Choose a specific ankle arthroscopy code when it accurately describes the work, such as removal of a loose body or a defined level of debridement. For 29899, submit documentation describing the procedure and why a listed code does not fit; a comparable listed procedure can help explain the work for review. 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 is paid in full and others at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be allowed; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 29899
- 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 RVU15.02 · 54%
- Practice expense (office) RVU9.86 · 36%
- Malpractice RVU2.70 · 10%
219
Medicare services in 2024 · #4245 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.
29899 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Nebraska, from the same CMS release.
No office rate
29897 identifies limited ankle arthroscopic debridement. A procedure that meets that description should not be reported as unlisted.
No office rate
29898 identifies extensive ankle arthroscopic debridement. Choose it when the documented work meets that description rather than defaulting to 29899.
No office rate
29891 describes arthroscopic excision of an ankle osteochondral defect, including drilling when performed; 29899 is reserved for work without a specific listed code.
Compare 29899 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
Nebraska →
Office / nonfacility
Unavailable
Facility
$839.74
Need rates for a whole code list?
Fee-sheet and API access are in early access. Tell us which codes and locations your team needs.
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 29899 in Nebraska.
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
3,378
- Code
- 29899
- Physician work
- 15.02
- Practice expense
- 9.86
- Malpractice
- 2.70
GPCI2026.csv
72
- Locality
- Nebraska
- Physician work
- 1.000
- Practice expense
- 0.923
- Malpractice
- 0.378
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 15.02 | × 1.000 | 15.0200 |
| Practice expense | 9.86 | × 0.923 | 9.1008 |
| Malpractice | 2.70 | × 0.378 | 1.0206 |
| Total RVUs | 25.1414 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Facility rate, Nebraska$839.74
Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula
Facility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 15.02 | 1 |
| Practice expense | 9.86 | 0.923 |
| Malpractice | 2.7 | 0.378 |
(15.02 × 1 + 9.86 × 0.923 + 2.7 × 0.378) × $33.4009 = $839.74
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.
29899 billing questions
When should 29899 be used instead of 29894, 29897, or 29898?
Use 29899 only when no specific ankle arthroscopy code describes the work. Codes 29894, 29897, and 29898 identify particular procedures or debridement levels.
What documentation should accompany an unlisted-code claim?
The operative report should describe the arthroscopic work, its purpose, and why no listed ankle arthroscopy code fits. A comparable listed procedure can help explain the service for review.
Can a listed ankle arthroscopy code also be reported for the same work?
Do not use 29899 as a second description of work already represented by a specific code. The documentation should distinguish any separate service being reported.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
How are multiple procedures and bilateral reporting handled?
For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be allowed. 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.
3,37529895,,Ankle arthroscopy/surgery,A,,6.95,5.04,NA,5.04,,0.99,12.98,12.98,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,37629897,,Ankle arthroscopy/surgery,A,,7.14,5.62,NA,5.62,,1.16,13.92,13.92,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,2,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,37729898,,Ankle arthroscopy/surgery,A,,8.28,6.14,NA,6.14,,1.26,15.68,15.68,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,37829899,,Ankle arthroscopy/surgery,A,,15.02,9.86,NA,9.86,,2.70,27.58,27.58,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,37929900,,Mcp joint arthroscopy dx,A,,5.73,7.83,NA,7.83,,1.23,14.79,14.79,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,38029901,,Mcp joint arthroscopy surg,A,,6.43,7.90,NA,7.90,,1.35,15.68,15.68,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,38129902,,Mcp joint arthroscopy surg,A,,6.98,8.08,NA,8.08,,1.48,16.54,16.54,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
6905302,MO,01,METROPOLITAN ST. LOUIS,1.000,0.952,1.002
7005302,MO,99,REST OF MISSOURI,1.000,0.862,0.974
7103202,MT,01,MONTANA**,1.000,1.000,0.998
7205402,NE,00,NEBRASKA,1.000,0.923,0.378
7301312,NV,00,NEVADA**,1.000,1.001,0.833
7414312,NH,40,NEW HAMPSHIRE,1.000,1.041,0.875
7512402,NJ,01,NORTHERN NJ,1.063,1.160,1.068