Billing code 29848: Carpal tunnel releaseMedicare rate & RVUs in Ohio
Reports endoscopic division of the carpal tunnel roof to relieve median nerve compression, typically performed for symptomatic carpal tunnel syndrome.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 29848 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 29848 covers
The surgeon uses an endoscope and specialized instruments through a small wrist or palm incision to divide the transverse carpal ligament and relieve pressure on the median nerve. Orthopedic and hand surgeons commonly perform this operation in an ambulatory surgery center or hospital outpatient setting for patients with carpal tunnel syndrome when operative decompression is indicated.
Report 29848 for the endoscopic release, with the operative note identifying the approach and documenting completion of the ligament division. It represents the surgical service, not diagnostic wrist-joint arthroscopy. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, which includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When other 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%. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code; 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.
29848 in Ohio
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio | Unavailable | $465.34 |
How the 29848 rate is calculated
Each of 29848’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 · 29848
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 6.23Practice expense 7.10Malpractice 1.21
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 29848
29848 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 29848
Carpal tunnel release
| 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) | 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 · 29848
Carpal tunnel release
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
29848 without 50 · national facility
$485.65
Carpal tunnel release
29848-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$728.48
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).
29848 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
29848 vs 64721 vs 29840 vs 20526: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 64721Carpal tunnel release
- Use 29848 for endoscopic carpal tunnel release and 64721 for open release. The operative approach distinguishes the codes.
- 29840Wrist arthroscopy
- 29840 is diagnostic wrist-joint arthroscopy. It does not describe endoscopic division of the carpal tunnel ligament.
- 20526Injection
- 20526 reports an injection into the carpal tunnel; 29848 is operative endoscopic decompression.
29848 billing questions
How does 29848 differ from 64721?
29848 reports endoscopic carpal tunnel release. 64721 reports the open approach; select the code that matches the operative technique documented.
Is diagnostic wrist arthroscopy included in 29848?
No. 29848 describes endoscopic carpal tunnel decompression, not examination of the wrist joint. Code 29840 is for diagnostic wrist arthroscopy.
How should bilateral releases be reported?
Report bilateral surgery with modifier 50. CMS pays this code at 150% when billed bilaterally with that modifier.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for 29848. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
What documentation supports 29848?
Document the carpal tunnel indication, the endoscopic approach, and release of the transverse carpal ligament. The operative report should make clear that the service was carpal tunnel decompression rather than wrist-joint arthroscopy.
How does the 90-day global period affect postoperative visits?
The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included in the global period.
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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