Billing code 28298: Bunion correctionMedicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Corrects hallux valgus using an osteotomy of the great toe’s proximal phalanx as part of the bunion operation.
Medicare pays $806.32–$890.48 for 28298 in the office in Texas, from Beaumont to Austin. Which amount applies depends on the service address.
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 28298 covers
An orthopedic or podiatric surgeon performs this operation to correct hallux valgus by making an osteotomy in the proximal phalanx of the great toe. The bone cut helps adjust toe alignment as part of the bunion correction. The procedure is typically performed in an operating room for a symptomatic deformity selected for surgical treatment.
Report 28298 when the operative technique includes a proximal phalanx osteotomy; the diagnosis alone does not determine code selection. The operative report should describe the hallux valgus correction, the osteotomy, and the side treated. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including 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 the others at 50%. Modifier 50 results in payment at 150% for bilateral performance. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeons are paid only with supporting documentation, and team surgery is 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 28298 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 payment localities
$806.32 to $890.48
8 of 8 payment localities
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Austin | $890.48 | $491.51 |
| Beaumont | $806.32 | $463.17 |
| Brazoria | $849.98 | $476.28 |
| Dallas | $855.68 | $480.10 |
| Fort Worth | $850.37 | $478.55 |
| Galveston | $852.72 | $478.26 |
| Houston | $870.84 | $496.38 |
| Rest Of Texas | $827.88 | $470.02 |
How the 28298 rate is calculated
Each of 28298’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 · 28298
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work7.56
7.56 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense17.21
17.21 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.99
0.99 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
25.7600
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$860.41
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 28298
28298 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 28298
Bunion correction
| 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) | 1 | Permitted with supporting documentation. |
| 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 · 28298
Bunion correction
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
28298 without 50 · national office
$860.41
Bunion correction
28298-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$1,290.62
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).
28298 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 28292Bunion correction
- 28292 uses resection at the proximal phalanx base for hallux valgus correction; 28298 includes a proximal phalanx osteotomy.
- 28295Bunion correction
- Use 28295 when the corrective osteotomy is proximal in the first metatarsal, rather than in the proximal phalanx as in 28298.
- 28296Bunion correction
- 28296 describes hallux valgus correction with a distal first metatarsal osteotomy; 28298 uses a proximal phalanx osteotomy.
- 28299Bunion correction
- 28299 is for hallux valgus correction involving a double osteotomy, rather than the proximal phalanx osteotomy described by 28298.
28298 billing questions
When should 28298 be chosen over a metatarsal osteotomy code?
Choose 28298 when the hallux valgus correction includes an osteotomy of the proximal phalanx. Codes 28295 and 28296 describe correction using an osteotomy at different parts of the first metatarsal.
Is the proximal phalanx osteotomy separately billed?
The proximal phalanx osteotomy is part of the corrective service represented by 28298. Do not report it again as a separate procedure for the same corrective work.
What documentation supports reporting 28298?
The operative report should establish that hallux valgus was corrected with an osteotomy of the great toe’s proximal phalanx and identify the side treated.
How is bilateral performance reported?
CMS pays bilateral performance with modifier 50 at 150%. The code has a 90-day global period, which includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
An assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeons are paid only with supporting documentation; team surgery is not permitted.
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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