Billing code 26433: Tendon repairMedicare rate & RVUs in Oklahoma
Reports operative repair of an extensor tendon at its distal finger insertion, such as repair of a mallet finger tendon injury without a graft.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 26433 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 26433 covers
This service repairs the extensor tendon where it attaches near the end of a finger, without using a tendon graft. A hand surgeon or orthopedic surgeon may perform it for a disrupted distal tendon, including a mallet finger injury requiring operative repair. The work is performed in an operating room or another surgical setting, with the repair directed to the tendon’s distal insertion rather than a more proximal finger or hand tendon segment.
Choose this code when the operative report supports repair at the distal insertion and describes the repair method and whether a graft was used. The service has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during that period. 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 multiple procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery, and co-surgeon and team-surgery reporting 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.
26433 in Oklahoma
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | Unavailable | $519.98 |
How the 26433 rate is calculated
Each of 26433’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 · 26433
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 4.58Practice expense 11.53Malpractice 0.89
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 26433
26433 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 26433
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) | 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 · 26433
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
26433 without 51 · national facility
$567.82
Tendon repair
26433-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$283.91
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%).
26433 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
26433 vs 26418 vs 26420 vs 26410 vs 26415: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 26418Finger tendon repair
- This code is for repair at the distal insertion of a finger extensor tendon. Code 26418 applies to a different finger extensor tendon repair configuration.
- 26420Tendon repair
- Use this code for repair without a graft at the distal insertion. Code 26420 is the neighboring graft-related finger extensor tendon repair option.
- 26410Hand tendon repair
- Code 26410 concerns extensor tendon repair in the hand. This code is specific to the distal insertion in a finger.
- 26415Tendon excision
- Code 26415 describes tendon excision, not restoration of a disrupted distal extensor tendon insertion.
26433 billing questions
When is this code preferable to 26418?
Use this code for repair at the extensor tendon’s distal finger insertion. Code 26418 describes a different finger extensor tendon repair configuration; the operative site and procedure determine the choice.
How does this differ from 26420?
This code describes repair without a graft. Code 26420 is a neighboring finger extensor tendon repair code associated with graft use.
Can modifier 50 be reported for both hands?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code. Report the documented service without modifier 50.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during the 90 days after surgery.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be billed?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code. Co-surgeons and team surgery are 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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