$471.32–$519.72
28072 is for synovectomy at a metatarsophalangeal joint. 28070 applies to a tarsometatarsal joint.
On this page
CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
28070 Foot synovectomy Medicare reimbursement rates in Texas
Removal of diseased synovial lining from a tarsometatarsal joint, typically for persistent proliferative synovitis requiring surgical treatment. Compare 28070 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Texas.
Amounts below use the non-QP conversion factor for participating physicians. These are base physician payments before claim-level adjustments, not patient costs or total hospital charges.
What does Medicare pay for 28070 in Texas?
Texas has 8 payment localities in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the 8 payment areas shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
$487.45–$535.62
8 of 8 localities have a supported rate.
These are locality ranges, not averages or address-specific quotes. A facility-setting amount covers the physician service; it does not include a hospital’s separate bill. Choose a locality below to inspect its calculation, compare other payment areas, or price a percentage of Medicare.
Where 28070 pays more and less in Texas
8 payment localities
$487.45 to $535.62
Foot surgery
About 28070: Tarsometatarsal joint synovectomy
Removal of diseased synovial lining from a tarsometatarsal joint, typically for persistent proliferative synovitis requiring surgical treatment.
The surgeon removes abnormal synovial tissue from a tarsometatarsal joint, where the metatarsal bases meet the midfoot bones. This may be performed for persistent synovitis with inflamed or proliferative joint lining, including inflammatory disease affecting the midfoot. A foot and ankle or orthopedic surgeon typically performs the operation in an operating room.
Report 28070 when the operative work removes synovium from a tarsometatarsal joint; a limited diagnostic tissue sample is not the same service. The operative note should identify the joint and document the synovial tissue removed. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When other procedures subject to multiple-procedure reduction are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Medicare does not pay for an assistant at surgery, co-surgeons, or team surgery for this code.
CMS billing rules for 28070
- Global period
- Major surgery with a 90-day global period: the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included.
- Multiple procedures
- Standard multiple procedure reduction: the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50% when performed in the same session.
- Bilateral procedures
- Bilateral adjustment does not apply; the descriptor or anatomy makes modifier 50 inappropriate.
- Assistant at surgery
- Statutory restriction: assistant at surgery is not paid.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons not permitted.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU5.11 · 33%
- Practice expense (office) RVU9.84 · 63%
- Malpractice RVU0.57 · 4%
288
Medicare services in 2024 · #4026 by national volume
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.
28070 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Texas, from the same CMS release.
$383.61–$420.64
28050 describes biopsy of foot-joint lining. Choose 28070 when the surgeon removes diseased synovium rather than taking a diagnostic sample.
$358.93–$393.79
28052 is a foot-joint lining biopsy service. 28070 represents synovectomy of a tarsometatarsal joint, not biopsy alone.
Compare 28070 by payment locality
Find the payment area for your service address, then open its rate page for calculation inputs, release history and the percentage-of-Medicare tool. A city may cross payment-area boundaries; the ZIP lookup above helps resolve the location.
8 of 8 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Austin | Office $535.62 | Facility $334.19 |
| Beaumont | Office $487.45 | Facility $314.20 |
| Brazoria | Office $512.60 | Facility $323.93 |
| Dallas | Office $515.90 | Facility $326.28 |
| Fort Worth | Office $512.86 | Facility $325.14 |
| Galveston | Office $514.17 | Facility $325.12 |
| Houston | Office $524.61 | Facility $335.55 |
| Rest Of Texas | Office $499.77 | Facility $319.10 |
Need rates for a whole code list?
Fee-sheet and API access are in early access. Tell us which codes and locations your team needs.
28070 billing questions
How is 28070 distinguished from 28072?
28070 is for synovectomy of a tarsometatarsal joint. 28072 applies to a metatarsophalangeal joint, so use the joint documented in the operative report.
Can 28070 be reported for a synovial biopsy?
Use 28070 when the surgeon removes synovial tissue as a synovectomy. A procedure limited to obtaining tissue for diagnosis is a biopsy service instead.
Should modifier 50 be appended for bilateral procedures?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code's descriptor or anatomy.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
How are other procedures in the same session paid?
Under the standard multiple-procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the other procedures are paid at 50%. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery, co-surgeons, or team surgery for 28070.
Where these rates come from
FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense, and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indices and the applicable conversion factor. Unavailable or separately priced services are labeled rather than assigned a made-up amount.
Source: RVU26D. Effective 2026-10-01 through the day before 2027-01-01.
3,10728055,,Neurectomy foot,A,,6.13,4.31,NA,4.31,,0.69,11.13,11.13,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,10828060,,Partial removal foot fascia,A,,5.27,9.84,,4.41,,0.61,15.72,10.29,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,10928062,,Removal of foot fascia,A,,6.52,10.40,,4.32,,0.66,17.58,11.50,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,1,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,11028070,,Removal of foot joint lining,A,,5.11,9.84,,4.14,,0.57,15.52,9.82,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,0,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,11128072,,Removal of foot joint lining,A,,4.60,9.89,,4.20,,0.55,15.04,9.35,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,0,1,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,11228080,,Removal of foot lesion,A,,4.74,11.10,,5.78,,0.55,16.39,11.07,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,0,0,0,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00
3,11328086,,Excise foot tendon sheath,A,,4.80,10.73,,4.60,,0.65,16.18,10.05,0,090,0.10,0.69,0.21,2,1,2,1,0,9,,33.4009,09,0,99,0.00,0.00,0.00