Billing code 27447: Total knee replacementMedicare rate & RVUs in Utah
Total knee replacement resurfaces the medial and lateral femoral condyles and tibial plateau, with optional patellar resurfacing, for advanced knee arthritis.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 27447 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 27447 covers
An orthopedic surgeon exposes the knee, removes damaged cartilage and bone from the distal femur and proximal tibia, balances the ligaments, and places femoral and tibial components with a polyethylene insert. The components may be cemented or press-fit, and the patella may also be resurfaced. Typical indications include advanced osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and post-traumatic arthritis after conservative treatment has failed. Surgery is generally performed in a hospital or ambulatory surgery center.
Report one service per knee when both medial and lateral tibiofemoral compartments are replaced. The operative note should identify the compartments treated, implants placed, and whether the patella was resurfaced. Osteophyte removal, soft tissue balancing, and synovial work performed as part of the replacement are included. The 90-day global period includes the preoperative visit the day before surgery and related postoperative care. For bilateral same-session replacement, report modifier 50; Medicare pays 150%. When multiple procedures are performed in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and additional procedures at 50%. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeons require supporting documentation. 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.
27447 in Utah
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Utah | Unavailable | $1,122.44 |
How the 27447 rate is calculated
Each of 27447’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 · 27447
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work19.11
19.11 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense11.58
11.58 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice4.02
4.02 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
34.7100
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$1,159.35
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 27447
27447 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 27447
Total knee replacement
| 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 · 27447
Total knee replacement
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
27447 without 50 · national facility
$1,159.35
Total knee replacement
27447-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$1,739.03
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).
27447 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 27446Partial knee replacement
- Use 27446 when only one tibiofemoral compartment is replaced with a partial implant; use 27447 when both medial and lateral compartments are replaced.
- 27487Knee revision
- 27487 applies to revision of an existing total knee prosthesis involving the femoral and entire tibial components; 27447 describes replacement of the medial and lateral compartments rather than revision of a total knee prosthesis.
- 27438Patellar arthroplasty
- 27438 covers patellar arthroplasty with a prosthesis; when the patella is resurfaced as part of a total knee replacement, report 27447 for the replacement.
- 27425Patellar release
- 27425 describes an open lateral release. A release performed for patellar tracking during total knee replacement is included in 27447.
27447 billing questions
Is patellar resurfacing billed separately with a total knee replacement?
No. The replacement includes patellar resurfacing when it is performed during the same operation.
Can an open lateral retinacular release be billed with this code?
A release performed for patellar tracking as part of the same knee replacement is included in the arthroplasty.
How are bilateral total knee replacements reported?
For both knees replaced in the same session, report one line with modifier 50 and one unit. Medicare pays 150% of the single-knee amount.
How is an assistant surgeon billed for this procedure?
An assistant at surgery may be paid. Physician assistants at surgery use modifier 80, 81, or 82 as appropriate; qualified nonphysician practitioners use modifier AS.
When may co-surgeons report this procedure?
Co-surgeons may be paid only when documentation supports the need for two surgeons performing distinct portions of the operation. Each surgeon reports the procedure with modifier 62.
Which visits are included in the global period?
The preoperative visit the day before surgery and related postoperative visits during the 90-day global period are included. An unrelated E/M service during that period may be reported with modifier 24 when supported.
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
Fee sheets
Put 27447 and the rest of your codes on one sheet
Build a fee sheet from your own code list at your locality, put your payer contracts beside Medicare, and see what changed each quarter.
Build my fee sheetOr price your code list free →