Billing code 28715: Hindfoot fusionMedicare rate & RVUs in Texas
Reports fusion of the subtalar, talonavicular, and calcaneocuboid joints for a rigid hindfoot deformity or arthritis involving all three joints.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 28715 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 28715 covers
An orthopedic foot and ankle surgeon prepares and fuses the subtalar, talonavicular, and calcaneocuboid joints to stabilize a painful, rigid hindfoot. Common reasons include advanced arthritis or deformity affecting this three-joint complex, such as a rigid flatfoot. The operation is generally performed in a hospital or ambulatory surgery setting, with fixation used to hold the joints in position while they heal.
Choose this code when the operative report supports fusion of all three joints; a fusion limited to the subtalar joint or extended to the ankle has a different scope. Documentation should identify the joints fused and the indication. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeon payment requires 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 28715 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 | $897.02 |
| Beaumont | Unavailable | $845.06 |
| Brazoria | Unavailable | $866.63 |
| Dallas | Unavailable | $875.05 |
| Fort Worth | Unavailable | $872.40 |
| Galveston | Unavailable | $871.15 |
| Houston | Unavailable | $914.34 |
| Rest Of Texas | Unavailable | $857.37 |
How the 28715 rate is calculated
Each of 28715’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 · 28715
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 13.08Practice expense 11.02Malpractice 2.36
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 28715
28715 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 28715
Hindfoot 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) | 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 · 28715
Hindfoot 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
28715 without 50 · national facility
$883.79
Hindfoot fusion
28715-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$1,325.69
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).
28715 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
28715 vs 28705 vs 28725 vs 28730: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 28705Pantalar fusion
- This code covers the three-joint hindfoot complex. Choose pantalar arthrodesis when the ankle is also fused.
- 28725Subtalar fusion
- This code covers three hindfoot joints; 28725 is for arthrodesis limited to the subtalar joint.
- 28730Midfoot fusion
- 28730 applies to multiple or transverse midtarsal or tarsometatarsal fusion, rather than the subtalar, talonavicular, and calcaneocuboid joints.
28715 billing questions
How does this differ from a subtalar fusion?
This code represents fusion of the subtalar, talonavicular, and calcaneocuboid joints. Use the subtalar fusion code when the operative work is limited to that joint.
When is a pantalar fusion the better code?
Use the pantalar arthrodesis code when the fusion includes the ankle as well as the hindfoot joints. This code covers the three-joint hindfoot complex, not an ankle fusion.
Can a separate gastrocnemius recession be reported?
A separately performed recession to address equinus may be reported with the fusion when supported by the operative documentation. The fusion alone does not establish that a recession was performed.
How is bilateral surgery reported?
For bilateral procedures, modifier 50 is paid at 150% under the CMS rule provided. Document the work on both feet and follow applicable claim-line instructions.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care. A separately reportable service must be distinct from that routine global care.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
An assistant at surgery may be paid. Co-surgeon payment requires 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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