Billing code 23530: Joint dislocation surgeryMedicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Open surgical treatment of an acute or chronic sternoclavicular dislocation, reported when the dislocated joint is addressed through an operative approach.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 23530 in Texas.
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 23530 covers
This service involves open surgery to treat a dislocation where the medial clavicle meets the sternum. Orthopedic or trauma surgeons may perform it for an acute injury or persistent, chronic displacement when operative treatment is chosen. The operative report should establish the sternoclavicular site and describe the open treatment performed; this code represents the option without graft use.
Report 23532 instead when the open sternoclavicular dislocation treatment includes a graft. The code has 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 a 50% reduction. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery services may be paid; co-surgeon and team-surgery billing 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 23530 pays more and less in Texas
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
8 of 8 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Austin | Unavailable | $558.48 |
| Beaumont | Unavailable | $522.58 |
| Brazoria | Unavailable | $537.45 |
| Dallas | Unavailable | $542.98 |
| Fort Worth | Unavailable | $541.11 |
| Galveston | Unavailable | $540.43 |
| Houston | Unavailable | $568.62 |
| Rest Of Texas | Unavailable | $531.16 |
How the 23530 rate is calculated
Each of 23530’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 · 23530
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 7.29Practice expense 7.61Malpractice 1.54
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 23530
23530 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 23530
Joint dislocation 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) | 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 · 23530
Joint dislocation 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
23530 without 50 · national facility
$549.11
Joint dislocation surgery
23530-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$823.67
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).
23530 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
23530 vs 23532 vs 23520 vs 23525 vs 23550: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 23532Joint reconstruction
- Both codes address open treatment of a sternoclavicular dislocation. Choose 23532 when a graft is used; 23530 is the option without graft use.
- 23520Sternoclavicular treatment
- 23520 describes closed treatment without manipulation. Use 23530 when the dislocation is treated through an open surgical approach.
- 23525Joint reduction
- 23525 is closed treatment with manipulation, whereas 23530 is open surgical treatment of the sternoclavicular dislocation.
- 23550AC joint repair
- 23550 addresses an acromioclavicular dislocation, at the joint between the clavicle and acromion. Code 23530 is for the sternoclavicular joint.
23530 billing questions
When should 23530 be used instead of 23532?
Use 23530 for open treatment of a sternoclavicular dislocation without a graft. Use 23532 when the treatment includes graft use.
How does 23530 differ from 23520 or 23525?
23530 represents open surgical treatment. Codes 23520 and 23525 describe closed treatment, with the latter specifying manipulation.
What documentation supports 23530?
Document the sternoclavicular dislocation, its acute or chronic status, and the open treatment performed. The operative record should also make clear whether a graft was used.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
Can 23530 be reported bilaterally or with an assistant?
Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%, and assistant-at-surgery services may be paid. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted under the CMS rules for this code.
How are other same-session procedures paid?
Under the standard multiple procedure reduction, 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
Fee sheets
Put 23530 and the rest of your codes on one sheet
Build a fee sheet from your own code list at your locality, put your payer contracts beside Medicare, and see what changed each quarter.
Build my fee sheetOr price your code list free →