Billing code 25105: Wrist synovectomyMedicare rate & RVUs in Utah
Reports open removal of inflamed or abnormal synovial tissue from the wrist joint, typically to treat persistent synovitis rather than obtain a biopsy.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 25105 in Utah.
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 25105 covers
The surgeon opens the wrist joint and removes synovial tissue, often to treat persistent proliferative synovitis associated with inflammatory arthritis or another ongoing joint condition. An orthopedic or hand surgeon typically performs the operation in a hospital or ambulatory surgery setting. This code describes treatment of the joint lining; it is distinct from sampling a small amount of tissue for diagnosis and from removing articular cartilage or a tendon sheath.
Report the service when the operative record supports open wrist-joint exposure and synovectomy. Documentation should identify the treated wrist, the indication, and the synovial tissue removed. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of 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%. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity; 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.
25105 in Utah
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Utah | Unavailable | $446.58 |
How the 25105 rate is calculated
Each of 25105’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 · 25105
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work5.87
5.87 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense6.89
6.89 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.14
1.14 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
13.9000
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$464.27
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 25105
25105 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 25105
Wrist synovectomy
| 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) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| 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 · 25105
Wrist synovectomy
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
25105 without 50 · national facility
$464.27
Wrist synovectomy
25105-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$696.41
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).
25105 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 25100Wrist biopsy
- Use 25100 for open wrist-joint biopsy when tissue is sampled for diagnosis. Use 25105 when the operation removes synovial tissue therapeutically.
- 25107Wrist cartilage excision
- 25107 addresses removal of wrist-joint cartilage; 25105 addresses removal of synovial lining.
- 29845Wrist arthroscopy
- 29845 describes complete wrist synovectomy performed arthroscopically. This code describes open synovectomy.
- 25118Tendon sheath excision
- 25118 concerns excision of a wrist or forearm tendon sheath. This code treats synovium within the wrist joint.
25105 billing questions
How is this different from a wrist-joint biopsy?
This code is for therapeutic removal of synovial tissue through open joint exposure. A wrist-joint biopsy is for obtaining tissue samples for diagnostic examination.
Does this code describe arthroscopic synovectomy?
No. This code describes an open procedure. Arthroscopic wrist synovectomy codes distinguish limited from complete synovectomy.
What documentation supports reporting the procedure?
The operative note should support open wrist-joint exposure and removal of synovial tissue, and identify the treated wrist and clinical indication.
What does the 90-day global period include?
The CMS global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.
How is bilateral performance paid?
CMS lists this as a bilateral procedure; reporting modifier 50 is paid at 150%.
When may an assistant or co-surgeon be paid?
Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity. 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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