Billing code 26862: Finger fusionMedicare rate & RVUs in Utah
Reports fusion of a finger interphalangeal joint using the patient's bone graft, typically for painful arthritis, deformity, or instability.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 26862 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 26862 covers
A hand surgeon prepares a finger interphalangeal joint for fusion and uses the patient's bone graft to support bone union. This procedure may be chosen for a painful, damaged proximal or distal interphalangeal joint, including cases involving arthritis, deformity, or instability. The graft is autogenous, and obtaining it is included in this service. Fixation may be used to maintain alignment while the joint heals.
Report this code for the grafted fusion of the primary interphalangeal joint. For another interphalangeal joint fused with autogenous graft during the same operative session, 26863 is the add-on code; 26860 describes fusion without the autograft distinction. The operative report should identify each joint treated, the graft used and its harvest, and the clinical reason for fusion. The service has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care. When multiple procedures are performed in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%. Modifier 50 is inappropriate. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made; 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.
26862 in Utah
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Utah | Unavailable | $706.06 |
How the 26862 rate is calculated
Each of 26862’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 · 26862
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 7.37Practice expense 13.32Malpractice 1.39
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 26862
26862 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 26862
Finger 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) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| 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 · 26862
Finger 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 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
26862 without 51 · national facility
$737.49
Finger fusion
26862-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$368.75
When this isn’t the highest-valued procedure in the session, Medicare pays 50% of its fee schedule amount (the highest is paid at 100%).
26862 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
26862 vs 26860 vs 26863 vs 26844: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 26860Finger joint fusion
- Choose 26860 for interphalangeal fusion without the autogenous bone graft distinction; 26862 is for fusion using the patient's graft.
- 26863Finger joint fusion
- 26863 reports each additional grafted interphalangeal joint. Use it with the primary grafted fusion code rather than for the primary joint.
- 26844Hand joint fusion
- 26844 is for grafted metacarpophalangeal joint fusion. This code is for an interphalangeal joint.
26862 billing questions
When should 26862 be selected instead of 26860?
Use 26862 for interphalangeal fusion with the patient's bone graft. Code 26860 describes interphalangeal fusion without that graft distinction.
How is another grafted finger joint reported?
Report 26863 for each additional interphalangeal joint fused with autogenous bone graft, in addition to the primary procedure.
Is graft harvest separately reported?
Obtaining the autogenous graft is included in 26862. Document the graft and its harvest in the operative report.
What documentation supports this code?
Document the interphalangeal joint fused, the indication, use of autogenous bone graft, and the graft harvest. Identify each additional joint treated.
Can modifier 50 be used for both hands?
No. The CMS bilateral adjustment does not apply to this code, and modifier 50 is inappropriate.
What global and multiple-procedure rules apply?
The code has a 90-day global period that includes the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care. In a same-session multiple-procedure claim, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50%.
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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