Billing code 29805: Shoulder arthroscopyMedicare rate & RVUs in Nevada
Diagnostic shoulder arthroscopy lets an orthopedic surgeon inspect the joint, with or without synovial biopsy, when a diagnostic examination is needed.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 29805 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 29805 covers
The surgeon inserts an arthroscope through small incisions to inspect the shoulder joint, including its cartilage, labrum, and synovium. A synovial biopsy may be taken during the examination. Orthopedic surgeons typically perform this service in an operating room or ambulatory surgery center when examination and imaging have not established the cause of intra-articular symptoms. The work is diagnostic; procedures that treat a finding, such as removing a loose body or repairing a lesion, are reported under the applicable surgical code instead.
Report 29805 when the operative record supports a diagnostic arthroscopic examination, whether or not a synovial biopsy is obtained. Document the shoulder examined, the structures inspected, findings, and any biopsy. If a surgical arthroscopy is performed on the same shoulder during the session, the diagnostic examination is included rather than separately reported. This code has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted; 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.
29805 in Nevada**
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Nevada** | Unavailable | $442.37 |
How the 29805 rate is calculated
Each of 29805’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 · 29805
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work5.88
5.88 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense6.35
6.35 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.21
1.21 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
13.4400
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$448.91
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 29805
29805 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 29805
Shoulder 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) | 1 | Not paid (statutory restriction). |
| 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 · 29805
Shoulder 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
29805 without 50 · national facility
$448.91
Shoulder arthroscopy
29805-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$673.37
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).
29805 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 29820Shoulder synovectomy
- 29805 describes diagnostic inspection, with or without biopsy. Use 29820 when the surgeon performs a partial synovectomy as treatment.
- 29821Shoulder arthroscopy
- 29821 is for complete synovectomy, not diagnostic inspection alone. A same-shoulder diagnostic examination is included when this surgical procedure is performed.
- 29806Shoulder stabilization
- 29806 reports arthroscopic capsulorrhaphy for shoulder stabilization. It is a therapeutic procedure, unlike diagnostic inspection under 29805.
- 29807Shoulder arthroscopy
- 29807 reports arthroscopic repair of a SLAP lesion. Use 29805 for diagnostic-only inspection; the diagnostic examination is included when the repair is performed in the same shoulder session.
29805 billing questions
When should 29805 be reported instead of a shoulder surgical arthroscopy code?
Use 29805 for diagnostic inspection, with or without synovial biopsy, when no therapeutic arthroscopic procedure is performed. If the surgeon treats a finding during the same shoulder session, report the applicable surgical procedure; the diagnostic examination is included.
Can 29805 be billed with a shoulder repair performed during the same session?
No. When a surgical arthroscopy is performed on the same shoulder, the diagnostic examination is included in that procedure and is not separately reported.
Does a synovial biopsy change the code selection?
No. The diagnostic shoulder arthroscopy code includes an examination performed with or without synovial biopsy. Document the biopsy and the diagnostic findings.
How is bilateral reporting handled?
CMS identifies this as a bilateral procedure. When both shoulders are treated and modifier 50 is appropriate, payment is at 150%.
What global and multiple-procedure rules apply?
The code has a 90-day global period that includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. In a session with multiple procedures, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted for this code. Co-surgeons are paid only with 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 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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