Billing code 24305: Tendon lengtheningMedicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Report this procedure when a surgeon lengthens a tendon in the upper arm or around the elbow to address tendon shortening or restricted movement.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 24305 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 24305 covers
An orthopedic surgeon lengthens a tendon in the upper arm or around the elbow to reduce the effects of a shortened tendon, such as restricted joint movement. The procedure is performed in an operating room or another surgical setting, with the operative approach and technique determined by the tendon and clinical problem. This code is specific to tendon lengthening; it does not describe simply cutting a tendon or transferring it to another location.
Select the code based on the work performed, and document the tendon treated, its location, the reason for lengthening, and the operative technique. The code is reported for each tendon lengthened. It has a 90-day global period, which includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. 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 50% multiple-procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity; co-surgeon and team-surgery payment 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 24305 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 | $550.13 |
| Beaumont | Unavailable | $515.32 |
| Brazoria | Unavailable | $530.18 |
| Dallas | Unavailable | $535.32 |
| Fort Worth | Unavailable | $533.48 |
| Galveston | Unavailable | $532.93 |
| Houston | Unavailable | $558.74 |
| Rest Of Texas | Unavailable | $523.67 |
How the 24305 rate is calculated
Each of 24305’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 · 24305
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work7.43
7.43 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense7.35
7.35 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.41
1.41 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
16.1900
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$540.76
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 24305
24305 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 24305
Tendon lengthening
| 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) | 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 · 24305
Tendon lengthening
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
24305 without 51 · national facility
$540.76
Tendon lengthening
24305-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$270.38
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%).
24305 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 24310Open tenotomy
- 24305 describes tendon lengthening. Choose 24310 when the documented procedure is open tenotomy rather than lengthening.
- 24301Tendon transfer
- 24301 describes a muscle or tendon transfer in the upper arm or elbow. It is not the choice when the surgeon lengthens the tendon in place.
- 24320Tenoplasty
- 24320 describes tenoplasty in the elbow-to-shoulder region. Use 24305 when the operative work is tendon lengthening, not the tenoplasty service represented by 24320.
24305 billing questions
How is tendon lengthening different from tendon tenotomy?
Use 24305 when the surgeon lengthens the tendon. Code 24310 describes an open tenotomy in the elbow-to-shoulder region, where cutting the tendon rather than lengthening it is the documented work.
How many units should be reported?
The code is reported for each tendon lengthened. The operative report should identify each tendon treated and describe the lengthening performed.
Is modifier 50 appropriate when both sides are treated?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code; do not use modifier 50.
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 surgeon be paid for this procedure?
Assistant-at-surgery payment is available only when medical necessity is documented. Co-surgeon and team-surgery payment are not permitted.
How does the multiple-procedure rule affect payment?
For procedures performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction.
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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