No office rate
Both describe ankle arthroscopic debridement, but 29898 is for extensive work; 29897 is for limited work. Base the choice on the operative findings and documented extent.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
29897 Ankle arthroscopy Medicare reimbursement rates in Nevada
Reports arthroscopic, limited removal of diseased or obstructive tissue within the ankle joint, such as for localized impingement or synovial and scar tissue. Compare 29897 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Nevada.
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 29897 in Nevada?
Nevada 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
$458.66
1 of 1 localities have a supported rate.
Payment area: Nevada**
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 29897: Limited ankle arthroscopic debridement
Reports arthroscopic, limited removal of diseased or obstructive tissue within the ankle joint, such as for localized impingement or synovial and scar tissue.
An orthopedic foot and ankle surgeon performs this procedure through small portals, using a camera and instruments to inspect and treat the ankle joint. The work is a limited debridement of tissue such as localized synovial or scar tissue, or unstable tissue contributing to impingement. It is typically performed in a surgical facility for a symptomatic ankle problem that warrants operative treatment; routine inspection during another arthroscopic procedure is not itself the service described by this code.
Choose this code when the operative report supports limited debridement, rather than a more extensive debridement or a separately defined procedure such as loose-body removal or partial synovectomy. Documentation should identify the treated tissue and location, the therapeutic work performed, and its extent. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including 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% multiple-procedure reduction. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 29897
- 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 not permitted.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU7.14 · 51%
- Practice expense (office) RVU5.62 · 40%
- Malpractice RVU1.16 · 8%
856
Medicare services in 2024 · #3087 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.
29897 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Nevada, from the same CMS release.
No office rate
29895 identifies partial synovectomy. Use 29897 when the documented service is limited debridement rather than a partial synovectomy.
No office rate
29894 identifies arthroscopic removal of a loose body or foreign body. 29897 describes limited debridement, not removal as the defining service.
Compare 29897 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
Nevada** →
Office / nonfacility
Unavailable
Facility
$458.66
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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 29897 in Nevada**.
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
3,376
- Code
- 29897
- Physician work
- 7.14
- Practice expense
- 5.62
- Malpractice
- 1.16
GPCI2026.csv
73
- Locality
- Nevada**
- Physician work
- 1.000
- Practice expense
- 1.001
- Malpractice
- 0.833
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 7.14 | × 1.000 | 7.1400 |
| Practice expense | 5.62 | × 1.001 | 5.6256 |
| Malpractice | 1.16 | × 0.833 | 0.9663 |
| Total RVUs | 13.7319 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Facility rate, Nevada**$458.66
Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula
Facility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 7.14 | 1 |
| Practice expense | 5.62 | 1.001 |
| Malpractice | 1.16 | 0.833 |
(7.14 × 1 + 5.62 × 1.001 + 1.16 × 0.833) × $33.4009 = $458.66
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.
29897 billing questions
How is limited debridement distinguished from extensive debridement?
Use 29897 for limited ankle-joint debridement and 29898 when the documented debridement is extensive. The operative report should describe the treated tissue and scope of work.
Does removing a loose body support this code?
Loose-body or foreign-body removal is a distinct arthroscopic service, represented by 29894. Document the actual procedure performed rather than treating removal as limited debridement.
Is routine tissue cleanup during another ankle arthroscopy separately reportable?
Routine work integral to the principal arthroscopic procedure does not by itself establish a separate limited debridement service. The record should identify distinct therapeutic debridement and its extent.
What documentation supports 29897?
Record the ankle-joint tissue treated, the reason for debridement, the arthroscopic work performed, and why its extent was limited rather than extensive.
How does the bilateral rule affect reporting?
CMS pays bilateral reporting with modifier 50 at 150%. The code also has a 90-day global period, and same-session multiple procedures are subject to the standard reduction.
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.
3,37329893,,Endoscopic plantr fasciotomy,A,,6.16,13.20,,5.79,,0.56,19.92,12.51,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,1,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,37429894,,Ankle arthroscopy/surgery,A,,7.17,5.85,NA,5.85,,1.20,14.22,14.22,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,37529895,,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
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
7612402,NJ,99,REST OF NEW JERSEY,1.040,1.092,1.097