Billing code 25810: Wrist fusionMedicare rate & RVUs in Washington
Complete wrist fusion using iliac-crest or another autologous bone graft is reported when graft-supported fusion is performed.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 25810 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 25810 covers
An orthopedic hand or upper-extremity surgeon uses this code for complete wrist fusion supported by the patient’s own bone graft, commonly obtained from the iliac crest or another donor site. The operation joins the wrist across the intended fusion surfaces, often for severe painful arthritis, post-traumatic joint damage, or an unstable wrist when preserving wrist motion is not the goal. It is generally performed in an operating room with fixation selected by the surgeon.
Report this code when the operative report supports complete wrist arthrodesis with autograft; obtaining the graft is included. 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 others at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery services may be paid; 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.
Where 25810 pays more and less in Washington
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Rest Of Washington | Unavailable | $799.00 |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | Unavailable | $875.16 |
How the 25810 rate is calculated
Each of 25810’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 · 25810
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work11.65
11.65 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense9.92
9.92 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice2.20
2.20 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
23.7700
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$793.94
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 25810
25810 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 25810
Wrist 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) | 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 · 25810
Wrist 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 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
25810 without 50 · national facility
$793.94
Wrist fusion
25810-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$1,190.91
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).
25810 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 25800Wrist fusion
- Both represent complete wrist fusion; choose 25810 when autograft is used and 25800 when the fusion is performed without bone graft.
- 25805Wrist fusion
- This code represents complete fusion with a sliding graft technique. 25810 is for complete fusion with iliac or other autograft.
- 25820Wrist fusion
- 25820 describes a limited wrist fusion without bone graft, not the complete fusion with autograft represented by 25810.
- 25825Wrist fusion
- 25825 is for limited wrist fusion with autograft; 25810 represents complete wrist fusion with autograft.
25810 billing questions
How does this differ from 25800?
Both describe complete wrist fusion, but 25810 includes autograft use, while 25800 is the complete fusion code without bone graft.
Can the graft harvest be billed separately?
No. Obtaining the autograft is included in 25810.
When is 25805 a better choice?
Use 25805 when the complete wrist fusion is performed with a sliding graft technique rather than the iliac or other autograft service represented by 25810.
What documentation supports 25810?
The operative report should establish complete wrist arthrodesis and use of the patient’s own bone graft. It should also identify the graft source and the procedure performed.
How is bilateral wrist fusion paid?
CMS pays bilateral reporting with modifier 50 at 150%. The code also has a 90-day global period for related postoperative care.
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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