Billing code 29846: Wrist arthroscopyMedicare rate & RVUs in Utah
Reports wrist arthroscopy to treat triangular fibrocartilage complex damage or debride the joint, including removal of unstable tissue or repair.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 29846 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 29846 covers
An orthopedic or hand surgeon uses a small camera and instruments through wrist portals to address a triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) tear or remove damaged or inflamed tissue within the joint. Typical cases include a symptomatic TFCC injury on the ulnar side of the wrist or other intra-articular pathology requiring arthroscopic debridement. The operation is generally performed in a surgical setting, with the operative report identifying the pathology and the work performed under visualization.
Report this code when the arthroscopic service includes TFCC excision or repair, or joint debridement, rather than diagnostic inspection alone or a different defined wrist procedure. Documentation should describe the treated structure, the tear or tissue abnormality, and whether tissue was removed, repaired, or debrided. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during that period. When related endoscopies are performed together, endoscopy-family pricing applies. For bilateral procedures, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. An assistant is paid only when medical necessity is documented; 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.
29846 in Utah
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Utah | Unavailable | $470.37 |
How the 29846 rate is calculated
Each of 29846’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 · 29846
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work6.72
6.72 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense6.60
6.60 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.29
1.29 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
14.6100
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$487.99
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 29846
29846 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 29846
Wrist arthroscopy
| 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 | 3 | Endoscopy family rules apply. |
| 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) | 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 · 29846
Wrist arthroscopy
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
29846 without 50 · national facility
$487.99
Wrist arthroscopy
29846-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$731.99
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).
29846 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 29840Wrist arthroscopy
- 29840 is for diagnostic wrist arthroscopy. Report 29846 when the surgeon performs qualifying TFCC treatment or joint debridement.
- 29844Wrist arthroscopy
- 29844 describes partial wrist synovectomy. Use 29846 for TFCC excision or repair, or joint debridement, rather than synovectomy alone.
- 29847Wrist arthroscopy
- 29847 is for wrist arthroscopy with internal fixation for fracture or instability. This code addresses TFCC treatment or joint debridement.
- 29843Wrist arthroscopy
- 29843 covers wrist arthroscopy for infection-related lavage and drainage; this code addresses TFCC pathology or joint debridement.
29846 billing questions
When is this code appropriate instead of a diagnostic wrist arthroscopy?
Use this code when the surgeon performs arthroscopic TFCC excision or repair, or joint debridement. Diagnostic inspection without that therapeutic work is a different service.
Does this code cover wrist synovectomy?
The wrist arthroscopy family has separate codes for partial and complete synovectomy. Select the code that matches the synovectomy performed rather than treating synovectomy alone as TFCC treatment or joint debridement.
What should the operative report document?
Identify the TFCC or other joint tissue treated, the pathology found, and the arthroscopic work performed, such as repair, excision, or debridement.
How is a bilateral service reported under CMS rules?
For bilateral procedures, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. The operative record should support treatment of both wrists.
Can an assistant surgeon be paid for this procedure?
CMS pays an assistant at surgery only when documentation supports medical necessity. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
What postoperative care is included?
This is major surgery with a 90-day global period. The day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care during the 90 days are included.
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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