Billing code 26555: Finger transferMedicare rate & RVUs in Ohio
Reports surgery that relocates one existing finger to a different position on the hand to address a positional or reconstructive need.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 26555 in Ohio.
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 26555 covers
The surgeon moves one existing finger to a different position on the hand as a reconstructive procedure. The operation may be considered when the placement of a digit needs surgical correction; it is distinct from transferring a toe to the hand or converting a finger into a thumb. Hand surgeons typically perform the procedure in an operating room, with the operative plan and anatomy determining the reconstruction.
Report 26555 for the single-finger positional transfer documented in the operative report, not simply for releasing a contracted joint or revising a finger joint. The note should identify the digit and its original and intended positions and describe the transfer performed. This major surgery code 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% multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeons and team surgery are 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.
26555 in Ohio
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio | Unavailable | $1,254.75 |
How the 26555 rate is calculated
Each of 26555’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 · 26555
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 16.65Practice expense 18.99Malpractice 3.55
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 26555
26555 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 26555
Finger 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) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| 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 · 26555
Finger 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
26555 without 51 · national facility
$1,308.98
Finger transfer
26555-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$654.49
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%).
26555 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
26555 vs 26550 vs 26553 vs 26525 vs 26567: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 26550Thumb reconstruction
- Use 26555 when an existing finger is moved to another position. Use 26550 when a digit is converted into a thumb.
- 26553Toe-hand transfer
- 26553 describes a single toe transferred to the hand; 26555 repositions a finger already on the hand.
- 26525Contracture release
- 26525 releases a finger contracture. A release alone is not the positional transfer reported with 26555.
- 26567Finger osteotomy
- 26567 addresses correction of a finger deformity. Choose 26555 when the documented operation is specifically a single-finger positional transfer.
26555 billing questions
How is 26555 different from pollicization?
26555 reports repositioning a single finger. Pollicization (26550) converts a digit into a thumb, which is a different reconstructive procedure.
Does 26555 include moving a toe to the hand?
No. Toe-to-hand transfer is reported with the applicable toe-transfer code, such as 26553 for a single toe transfer, rather than 26555.
What documentation supports 26555?
Document which finger was moved, its original and intended positions, and the operative steps that establish a positional transfer rather than a joint revision or contracture release.
Can modifier 50 be reported for two sides?
No. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. The CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply to its descriptor or anatomy.
How does the multiple-procedure reduction affect 26555?
When it is performed with other procedures in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
An assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted for this code.
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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