Billing code 25301: Tendon fusionMedicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Reports an operation joining tendons at the wrist to alter or stabilize tendon function, rather than transferring a tendon or repairing the wrist joint.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 25301 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 25301 covers
The surgeon joins tendons at the wrist as a reconstructive procedure to change or stabilize their action. It may be performed by an orthopedic hand surgeon or plastic surgeon in an operating room, commonly for a wrist tendon imbalance or deformity when the operative plan calls for tendon fusion rather than a tendon transfer. The operative report should identify the tendons joined and the wrist treated.
Report the code when the documented operation is fusion of tendons at the wrist; distinguish it from tendon transplantation and procedures on the wrist joint. This major surgery includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, Medicare pays the highest-valued procedure in full and reduces the others to 50%. For bilateral surgery reported with modifier 50, payment is 150%. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted under the listed CMS rules.
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 25301 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 | $608.93 |
| Beaumont | Unavailable | $571.51 |
| Brazoria | Unavailable | $587.09 |
| Dallas | Unavailable | $592.94 |
| Fort Worth | Unavailable | $591.00 |
| Galveston | Unavailable | $590.23 |
| Houston | Unavailable | $620.07 |
| Rest Of Texas | Unavailable | $580.42 |
How the 25301 rate is calculated
Each of 25301’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 · 25301
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 8.38Practice expense 7.93Malpractice 1.63
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 25301
25301 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 25301
Tendon fusion
| 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 · 25301
Tendon fusion
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
25301 without 50 · national facility
$599.21
Tendon fusion
25301-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$898.82
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).
25301 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
25301 vs 25300 vs 25310 vs 25315 vs 25320: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 25300Tendon fusion
- This is a closely related wrist tendon procedure. Distinguish the codes by matching the full descriptor to the operative technique documented.
- 25310Tendon transfer
- Use 25310 for forearm tendon transplantation. Use 25301 when the documented operation joins tendons at the wrist.
- 25315Tendon transfer
- Code 25315 concerns revision of hand tendons for palsy. This code is for fusion of tendons at the wrist.
- 25320Wrist stabilization
- Code 25320 concerns repair or revision of the wrist joint; this code describes a tendon procedure, not joint repair.
25301 billing questions
How is tendon fusion different from a tendon transplant?
This code describes joining tendons at the wrist. Codes 25310 and 25312 describe forearm tendon transplantation; select based on the operation actually documented.
What should the operative report document?
Document the wrist treated, the tendons joined, and the operative technique and purpose. These details distinguish tendon fusion from tendon transfer or wrist-joint repair.
Does the 90-day global period include postoperative care?
Yes. The global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
How is bilateral surgery handled?
When the procedure is performed bilaterally and reported with modifier 50, CMS payment is 150% under the listed rule.
Can an assistant surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery services may be paid. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted under the listed CMS rules.
What happens when another procedure is performed in the same session?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and the other procedure or procedures are paid at 50% under the standard multiple-procedure 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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