Billing code 29800: Jaw arthroscopyMedicare rate & RVUs in Oregon
Diagnostic temporomandibular joint arthroscopy evaluates the joint interior, with or without synovial biopsy, when direct visualization is needed.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 29800 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 29800 covers
The surgeon inserts an arthroscope into the temporomandibular joint to inspect its internal structures and assess abnormalities such as synovial changes or internal derangement. A synovial biopsy may be obtained during the examination. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons and other surgeons who treat TMJ disorders typically perform the procedure in a surgical facility; Medicare claims for this service in 2024 were reported in facility settings.
Report this code when the arthroscopy is diagnostic, whether or not synovial tissue is sampled. If the surgeon performs a therapeutic arthroscopic procedure on the joint, report the applicable surgical service rather than separately reporting the diagnostic examination. The record should support the indication for direct joint inspection and describe the findings and any biopsy. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity; 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.
Where 29800 pays more and less in Oregon
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Portland | Unavailable | $526.59 |
| Rest Of Oregon | Unavailable | $493.66 |
How the 29800 rate is calculated
Each of 29800’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 · 29800
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work6.67
6.67 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense7.14
7.14 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.42
1.42 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
15.2300
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$508.70
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 29800
29800 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 29800
Jaw arthroscopy
| 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) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| 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 · 29800
Jaw arthroscopy
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
29800 without 50 · national facility
$508.70
Jaw arthroscopy
29800-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$763.05
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).
29800 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 29804TMJ arthroscopy
- 29800 is for diagnostic TMJ inspection, with or without synovial biopsy. Use 29804 when therapeutic arthroscopic surgery is performed on the joint.
- 21060TMJ meniscectomy
- 21060 describes open TMJ meniscectomy. It is not the code for arthroscopic inspection or biopsy.
- 21240Jaw joint reconstruction
- 21240 describes TMJ arthroplasty, an open reconstructive operation. 29800 is a diagnostic arthroscopic examination.
29800 billing questions
When should I report this instead of 29804?
Use 29800 for diagnostic inspection, with or without synovial biopsy. When the surgeon performs therapeutic arthroscopic surgery on the TMJ, report 29804 rather than separately reporting the diagnostic examination.
Is synovial biopsy separately reported?
The diagnostic arthroscopy includes the option of taking a synovial biopsy. Do not treat the biopsy as a separate arthroscopy service.
Can I report 29800 with a therapeutic TMJ arthroscopy on the same joint?
The diagnostic inspection is part of the therapeutic arthroscopic service when surgery is performed on that joint. Report the applicable surgical service, not a separate diagnostic arthroscopy for the same examination.
How is bilateral TMJ arthroscopy reported?
For bilateral services, report modifier 50; CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.
What documentation supports the service?
Document why direct arthroscopic inspection was performed, the joint findings, and whether synovial tissue was sampled. The record should make clear whether the service remained diagnostic or included therapeutic arthroscopic work.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment is allowed only when medical necessity is documented. CMS does not permit co-surgeons or team surgery 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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