CPT code 25107: Wrist cartilage excision2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Washington
Open wrist arthrotomy with articular cartilage removal is reported when the surgeon directly excises wrist-joint cartilage rather than synovium, tendon, or a lesion.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 25107 in Washington.
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 25107 covers
An orthopedic or hand surgeon opens the wrist joint and removes articular cartilage directly from the joint surfaces. The operative target is cartilage within the wrist joint, not the synovial lining, a tendon or tendon sheath, or a separate bone or soft-tissue lesion. The operative report should identify the joint entered and document the cartilage excision; opening the joint for inspection alone does not establish this service.
Select this code when the documented work includes excision of wrist-joint articular cartilage, distinguishing it from wrist arthrotomy for biopsy, exploration, or synovectomy. The 90-day global period includes 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 other procedures at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made; co-surgeons require 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.
Where 25107 pays more and less in Washington
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Rest Of Washington | Unavailable | $594.84 |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | Unavailable | $657.04 |
How the 25107 rate is calculated
Each of 25107’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 · 25107
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work7.51
7.51 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense8.64
8.64 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice1.45
1.45 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
17.6000
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$587.86
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 25107
25107 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 25107
Wrist cartilage excision
| 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 · 25107
Wrist cartilage excision
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
25107 without 50 · national facility
$587.86
Wrist cartilage excision
25107-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$881.79
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).
25107 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 25100Wrist biopsy
- Choose 25100 when the wrist joint is opened for biopsy. Choose 25107 when the documented work removes articular cartilage.
- 25101Wrist arthrotomy
- Code 25101 describes wrist-joint exploration, drainage, or foreign-body removal; 25107 requires excision of articular cartilage.
- 25105Wrist synovectomy
- Code 25105 targets the synovial lining. Code 25107 targets articular cartilage.
- 29846Wrist arthroscopy
- Code 29846 describes wrist arthroscopy with specified debridement or triangular fibrocartilage work. Code 25107 describes cartilage excision through open wrist arthrotomy.
25107 billing questions
How does this differ from wrist synovectomy code 25105?
This code describes removal of articular cartilage from the wrist joint. Code 25105 addresses removal of the joint’s synovial lining.
Does opening the wrist joint for inspection qualify?
No. The operative documentation should support actual excision of articular cartilage, not exposure or exploration alone.
Can synovectomy be reported with cartilage excision?
They describe different operative targets. Report both only when the documentation supports each service and applicable coding edits permit separate reporting.
How is bilateral surgery reported?
CMS pays bilateral reporting with modifier 50 at 150% of the single-side payment.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be paid?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made. 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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