Billing code 26236: Finger bone excisionMedicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Report this service when a surgeon partially removes bone from a finger phalanx, such as debriding nonviable bone in a hand infection.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 26236 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 26236 covers
A hand surgeon or other qualified surgeon removes part of a finger phalanx while preserving the remaining bone. A typical indication is removal of nonviable or infected bone, such as a sequestrum in osteomyelitis. The procedure is generally performed in an operating room, with the operative report identifying the affected finger and phalanx and describing the bone removed.
Report the code when the documented operation is partial removal of finger bone, not simply curettage of a cyst or benign tumor, or removal of a metacarpal segment. The note should support the site, extent, and reason for the resection. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period, which includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple procedure reduction. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment is statutorily restricted; 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 26236 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 | $430.75 |
| Beaumont | Unavailable | $400.84 |
| Brazoria | Unavailable | $414.08 |
| Dallas | Unavailable | $418.01 |
| Fort Worth | Unavailable | $416.37 |
| Galveston | Unavailable | $416.17 |
| Houston | Unavailable | $435.20 |
| Rest Of Texas | Unavailable | $408.12 |
How the 26236 rate is calculated
Each of 26236’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 · 26236
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 5.32Practice expense 6.28Malpractice 1.04
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 26236
26236 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 26236
Finger bone excision
| 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) | 1 | Not paid (statutory restriction). |
| 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 · 26236
Finger bone excision
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
26236 without 51 · national facility
$422.19
Finger bone excision
26236-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$211.10
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%).
26236 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
26236 vs 26235 vs 26210 vs 26215 vs 26230: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 26235Finger bone surgery
- Both CMS short descriptors identify partial finger-bone removal. Check the full billing code descriptor and operative report to determine which code matches the documented procedure.
- 26210Bone lesion removal
- This code concerns partial removal of finger bone; 26210 is for curettage or excision of a cyst or benign tumor in a finger phalanx.
- 26215Finger bone lesion
- Use 26215 for curettage or excision of a finger phalanx cyst or benign tumor with bone grafting, rather than partial bone removal.
- 26230Hand bone excision
- Both involve partial bone removal, but 26230 concerns a metacarpal; this code concerns a finger phalanx.
26236 billing questions
How is this different from 26235?
Both codes are described as partial removal of finger bone in the CMS short descriptors. Use the full billing code descriptor and operative details to select the code; document the bone and exact procedure performed.
Can this be reported for curettage of a finger bone lesion?
A cyst or benign tumor treated by curettage is represented by a different service, with or without bone grafting. This code describes partial removal of finger bone.
Does the 90-day global period include postoperative visits?
Yes. The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included in the global period.
Can modifier 50 be used when both hands are treated?
No. The CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply to this code, and modifier 50 is inappropriate.
Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be paid?
Assistant-at-surgery payment is subject to a statutory restriction. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted 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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