Billing code 25250: Wrist surgeryMedicare rate & RVUs in Utah
Reports surgical removal of an implanted wrist prosthesis, such as during treatment of a failed implant or as part of a wrist salvage procedure.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 25250 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 25250 covers
A surgeon removes an implanted prosthesis from the wrist. The procedure may be performed for a failed or painful implant, infection, or when converting the wrist to another surgical treatment. It is distinct from excising carpal bone without removing a prosthesis. The operative report should identify the wrist and document that the implant was removed; the reason for removal and any additional work should also be clear. Orthopedic or hand surgeons typically perform this procedure in an operating room.
Report 25250 when the documented removal fits this code rather than the complicated removal code 25251. The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. If multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. For bilateral surgery, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. An assistant at surgery may be paid; 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.
25250 in Utah
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Utah | Unavailable | $494.15 |
How the 25250 rate is calculated
Each of 25250’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 · 25250
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 6.60Practice expense 7.38Malpractice 1.40
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 25250
25250 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 25250
Wrist surgery
| 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) | 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 · 25250
Wrist surgery
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
25250 without 50 · national facility
$513.71
Wrist surgery
25250-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$770.57
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).
25250 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
25250 vs 25251 vs 25210 vs 25215: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 25251Wrist implant removal
- This is the removal code for cases within 25250’s scope. Code 25251 is the related option when the documented removal is complicated.
- 25210Carpal bone removal
- 25210 describes removal of one carpal bone, not extraction of an implanted wrist prosthesis.
- 25215Carpectomy
- 25215 describes removal of carpal bones; use 25250 when the operative service removes a wrist prosthesis.
25250 billing questions
How do I choose between 25250 and 25251?
Use 25250 for removal that meets this code’s scope. Use 25251 when the operative circumstances meet the complicated-removal code; support that distinction in the operative report.
Can I report 25250 when the surgeon removes carpal bone but leaves the prosthesis?
No. This code describes removal of the wrist prosthesis. A carpectomy code may be appropriate when the documented procedure is removal of carpal bone instead.
What documentation supports 25250?
Document the wrist treated, the presence and removal of the prosthesis, the indication, and any additional procedures performed during the operation.
How does the 90-day global period affect postoperative billing?
The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included in the global period.
How is bilateral removal handled?
For removal performed on both wrists, modifier 50 is paid at 150% under the CMS rule supplied 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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