Billing code 26420: Tendon repairMedicare rate & RVUs in Oklahoma
Reports repair of a finger extensor tendon using a free tendon graft when the tendon cannot be adequately restored by direct repair alone.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 26420 in Oklahoma.
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 26420 covers
A hand surgeon uses this service to restore continuity of a finger extensor tendon with an interposed free tendon graft, such as for a tendon defect after injury or a chronic rupture. The graft bridges a gap that prevents adequate direct repair. The procedure is typically performed in an operating room; the operative report should identify the involved finger and tendon, the defect or reason a graft was needed, and the graft-based reconstruction performed.
Report the code for each tendon repaired with a free graft. A direct repair without a free graft is represented by a different code. Medicare 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 the others 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.
26420 in Oklahoma
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | Unavailable | $660.52 |
How the 26420 rate is calculated
Each of 26420’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 · 26420
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work6.77
6.77 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense13.45
13.45 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.28
1.28 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
21.5000
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$718.12
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 26420
26420 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 26420
Tendon repair
| 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 · 26420
Tendon repair
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
26420 without 51 · national facility
$718.12
Tendon repair
26420-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$359.06
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%).
26420 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 26418Finger tendon repair
- Use 26418 for finger extensor tendon repair without a free graft. Use 26420 when the repair uses a free graft.
- 26428Finger tendon repair
- Both describe finger extensor tendon repair with a free graft; 26428 is for a secondary-repair circumstance, while 26420 covers primary or secondary repair.
- 26412Tendon repair
- This is the graft-repair code for an extensor tendon at the hand level. Code 26420 is for a finger tendon.
26420 billing questions
How does this differ from 26418?
This code is for finger extensor tendon repair using a free graft. Code 26418 describes repair without a free graft.
What documentation supports reporting the graft repair?
Document the finger and tendon treated, the tendon defect or other reason direct repair was inadequate, and the free-graft reconstruction performed.
Is the code reported per finger or per tendon?
The code is reported for each tendon repaired with a free graft. The operative note should make the number of repaired tendons clear.
Can modifier 50 be used when both hands are treated?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code. Report the services according to the procedures performed and applicable coding instructions.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
Can an assistant surgeon be reported?
CMS permits payment for an assistant at surgery. 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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