Billing code 27488: Knee prosthesis removalMedicare rate & RVUs in Oklahoma
Reports operative removal of a knee prosthesis, with or without placement of a spacer, such as during staged treatment of prosthetic joint infection.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 27488 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 27488 covers
An orthopedic surgeon removes implanted knee prosthetic components and associated cement when the treatment plan calls for explantation rather than definitive revision at that operation. A typical situation is the first stage of treating an infected knee replacement, when components are removed and a temporary spacer may be placed. The service is generally performed in an operating room, often in a hospital facility.
Select this code when the operative work is removal of the knee prosthesis, with or without spacer placement; a definitive revision replacing one or both components is represented by a different service. The operative report should identify the indication, components removed, and whether a spacer was inserted. This major surgery has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care. For same-session procedures, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation, and team surgery is 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.
27488 in Oklahoma
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | Unavailable | $1,029.47 |
How the 27488 rate is calculated
Each of 27488’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 · 27488
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work17.16
17.16 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense12.14
12.14 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice3.63
3.63 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
32.9300
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$1,099.89
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 27488
27488 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 27488
Knee prosthesis removal
| 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) | 2 | Paid. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| 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 · 27488
Knee prosthesis removal
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
27488 without 50 · national facility
$1,099.89
Knee prosthesis removal
27488-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$1,649.84
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).
27488 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 27486Knee revision
- 27488 reports removal of the knee prosthesis, with or without a spacer. Use 27486 when the operation revises or replaces one component.
- 27487Knee revision
- 27488 is for prosthesis removal rather than definitive revision. Use 27487 when both knee components are revised or replaced.
- 27447Total knee replacement
- 27447 describes primary total knee replacement. It is not the code for removing an existing prosthesis during staged treatment.
27488 billing questions
How does this differ from a knee revision code?
Use 27488 for prosthesis removal, with or without spacer placement, rather than definitive component revision. Codes 27486 and 27487 describe revision or replacement of one or both components.
Can a spacer be placed during the removal?
Yes. Spacer placement may accompany the prosthesis removal reported with 27488.
What should the operative report document?
Document the reason for explantation, which prosthetic components were removed, and whether a spacer was inserted. The record should make clear whether the operation was removal or definitive revision.
What is the global period?
This major surgery has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
How is bilateral reporting handled?
When the procedure is performed bilaterally, modifier 50 is paid at 150% under the CMS facts for this code.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available. Co-surgeon payment requires supporting documentation; team surgery is 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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