Billing code 26498: Tendon transferMedicare rate & RVUs in Nevada
Reports surgical transfer of a finger flexor tendon to restore or rebalance finger motion when a functioning donor tendon is used.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 26498 in Nevada.
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 26498 covers
A hand surgeon reroutes and attaches a functioning flexor tendon to a finger tendon or insertion to restore or rebalance active finger motion. The procedure may be considered when injury, nerve dysfunction, or paralysis has impaired finger flexion and tendon transfer is part of the reconstructive plan. It is generally performed in an operating room by an orthopedic or plastic surgeon with hand-surgery expertise.
Choose this code when the operative work is a transfer of a flexor tendon to a finger; distinguish it from an extensor tendon transfer and from procedures that lengthen, release, or realign a tendon. The operative report should identify the donor tendon, recipient site, finger, indication, and transfer performed. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; co-surgeons require 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.
26498 in Nevada**
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Nevada** | Unavailable | $1,104.04 |
How the 26498 rate is calculated
Each of 26498’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 · 26498
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work13.85
13.85 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense16.73
16.73 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice2.95
2.95 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
33.5300
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$1,119.93
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 26498
26498 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 26498
Tendon transfer
| 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) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| 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 · 26498
Tendon transfer
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 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
26498 without 51 · national facility
$1,119.93
Tendon transfer
26498-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$559.97
When this isn’t the highest-valued procedure in the session, Medicare pays 50% of its fee schedule amount (the highest is paid at 100%).
26498 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 26497Tendon transfer
- Use 26498 for transfer of a finger flexor tendon and 26497 for transfer of a finger extensor tendon.
- 26492Tendon transfer
- 26492 describes a tendon transfer with a graft. Choose based on the operation performed and whether grafting is part of the reconstruction.
- 26494Tendon transfer
- 26494 covers a hand tendon or muscle transfer with a different scope; 26498 is specific to transfer of a finger flexor tendon.
- 26480Tendon transfer
- 26480 concerns tendon transfer or transplant in the carpometacarpal area or dorsum of the hand, rather than a finger flexor transfer.
26498 billing questions
How does 26498 differ from 26497?
26498 is for a flexor tendon transfer to a finger; 26497 is the corresponding extensor tendon transfer. The operative report should establish which tendon function was transferred.
Is modifier 50 appropriate when both hands are treated?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code. Report the documented services according to the applicable coding instructions rather than appending modifier 50.
What should the operative report document?
Document the indication, donor tendon, recipient site, finger treated, and the transfer actually performed. These details distinguish a transfer from tendon release, lengthening, or realignment.
Is postoperative care included?
Yes. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made. Co-surgeons are paid only with supporting documentation; team surgery is not permitted.
How are multiple procedures in the same session paid?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction, with payment at 50%.
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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