Billing code 27792: Ankle fracture surgeryMedicare rate & RVUs in Oregon
Reports open surgical treatment of a distal fibular fracture at the lateral malleolus, typically when exposure and reduction are needed to restore alignment.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 27792 in Oregon.
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 27792 covers
An orthopedic surgeon uses this code when an operation directly exposes and treats a fracture of the distal fibula at the lateral malleolus. A common setting is a hospital outpatient department or ambulatory surgery center for a displaced or unstable fracture requiring open reduction; fixation with a plate, screws, or other hardware may be performed. The code concerns the lateral malleolus, not an isolated medial or posterior malleolar fracture.
The operative report should establish the fracture site and document open treatment; fixation is included when performed. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care for 90 days. When multiple procedures are performed in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. For bilateral procedures reported with modifier 50, CMS pays 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted; 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.
Where 27792 pays more and less in Oregon
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Portland | Unavailable | $628.57 |
| Rest Of Oregon | Unavailable | $590.85 |
How the 27792 rate is calculated
Each of 27792’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 · 27792
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 8.53Practice expense 8.06Malpractice 1.61
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 27792
27792 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 27792
Ankle fracture surgery
| 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) | 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 · 27792
Ankle fracture surgery
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
27792 without 50 · national facility
$607.90
Ankle fracture surgery
27792-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$911.85
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).
27792 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
27792 vs 27786 vs 27788 vs 27766 vs 27814: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 27786Ankle fracture care
- 27786 is for closed treatment of a distal fibular fracture without manipulation. Choose 27792 when the fracture is treated through open surgical exposure.
- 27788Ankle fracture care
- 27788 describes closed treatment with manipulation. It does not represent open reduction of the distal fibula.
- 27766Ankle fracture repair
- 27766 is for open treatment of the medial malleolus. Code 27792 concerns the distal fibula at the lateral malleolus.
- 27814Ankle fracture
- 27814 applies to open treatment of a bimalleolar fracture pattern. Use 27792 for open treatment of the distal fibula when the bimalleolar code does not describe the treated pattern.
27792 billing questions
When is 27792 used instead of a closed-treatment code?
Use 27792 when the surgeon openly exposes and treats the distal fibular fracture. Closed treatment without manipulation is represented by 27786, while closed treatment with manipulation is represented by 27788.
Can fixation hardware be billed separately?
Fixation performed as part of the open fracture treatment is included in 27792. The operative report should describe the fracture treatment and any fixation performed.
How should a bilateral procedure be reported?
CMS lists this as a bilateral procedure; when modifier 50 is used, payment is 150%.
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 or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted for this code. Co-surgeons are paid only with supporting documentation; team surgery is not permitted.
How does CMS handle another procedure performed in the same session?
Under the standard multiple-procedure rule, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are paid at 50% when performed in the same session.
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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