Billing code 26843: Hand joint fusionMedicare rate & RVUs in Nevada
Fusion of a carpometacarpal joint in the hand other than the thumb, reported when the surgeon permanently joins that joint.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 26843 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 26843 covers
An orthopedic or hand surgeon uses this service to fuse a carpometacarpal joint other than the thumb’s. The surgeon prepares the joint surfaces and stabilizes them to promote bony union. Typical situations include a painful, arthritic or unstable joint at the base of a finger metacarpal. The procedure is generally performed in an operating room; fixation may be used. This code is for the fusion without autogenous bone grafting.
Select the code based on the joint fused: this code identifies a nonthumb carpometacarpal joint, while 26844 is the graft counterpart. Document the specific joint, the reason for fusion, and the operative work supporting arthrodesis. 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 inappropriate. An assistant at surgery may be paid; 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.
26843 in Nevada**
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Nevada** | Unavailable | $760.98 |
How the 26843 rate is calculated
Each of 26843’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 · 26843
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 7.59Practice expense 13.83Malpractice 1.62
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 26843
26843 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 26843
Hand joint 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) | 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 · 26843
Hand joint 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 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
26843 without 51 · national facility
$769.56
Hand joint fusion
26843-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$384.78
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%).
26843 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
26843 vs 26844 vs 26841 vs 26850 vs 26860: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 26844Hand joint fusion
- Use 26843 for a nonthumb carpometacarpal fusion without autogenous bone grafting; 26844 is the corresponding graft procedure.
- 26841Thumb fusion
- 26841 addresses carpometacarpal fusion of the thumb. This code is for a carpometacarpal joint other than the thumb’s.
- 26850Knuckle fusion
- 26850 is for fusion at a metacarpophalangeal joint, where a finger meets the hand; 26843 is for a carpometacarpal joint.
- 26860Finger joint fusion
- 26860 is for fusion at an interphalangeal joint within a finger. Use 26843 for a nonthumb carpometacarpal joint.
26843 billing questions
How is this different from the thumb fusion codes?
This code is for a carpometacarpal joint other than the thumb’s. Thumb carpometacarpal fusion is reported with 26841 or, when autogenous bone graft is used, 26842.
When is 26844 used instead?
Use 26844 for fusion of a nonthumb carpometacarpal joint when autogenous bone graft is used. Document the graft and the joint fused.
Can modifier 50 be appended for both hands?
No. CMS identifies the bilateral adjustment as inapplicable for this descriptor or anatomy, so modifier 50 is inappropriate.
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 other 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 at 50%. An assistant at surgery may be paid.
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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