Billing code 27610: Ankle arthrotomyMedicare rate & RVUs in Washington
Report this open ankle-joint procedure for operative exploration, drainage, or removal of a foreign body from the joint.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 27610 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 27610 covers
The surgeon opens the ankle joint to inspect it, drain it, or remove a foreign body. This is an open operative procedure, not an office aspiration or an arthroscopic service. Orthopedic surgeons commonly perform it in a hospital or ambulatory surgery center when the joint requires direct surgical access, such as for operative drainage or retrieval of material lodged within the joint.
Choose the code from the documented joint procedure and work performed; the operative report should identify the ankle joint, the reason for opening it, and any drainage or foreign-body removal. Medicare assigns a 90-day global period: the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included. When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction. For bilateral reporting with modifier 50, payment is at 150%. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code, and 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.
Where 27610 pays more and less in Washington
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Rest Of Washington | Unavailable | $613.99 |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | Unavailable | $672.86 |
How the 27610 rate is calculated
Each of 27610’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 · 27610
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 8.90Practice expense 7.71Malpractice 1.64
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 27610
27610 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 27610
Ankle arthrotomy
| 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) | 1 | Not paid (statutory restriction). |
| 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 · 27610
Ankle arthrotomy
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
27610 without 50 · national facility
$609.57
Ankle arthrotomy
27610-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$914.36
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).
27610 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
27610 vs 27620 vs 27625 vs 27626: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 27620Ankle arthrotomy
- Both entries involve ankle-joint surgery. Compare the complete code descriptors and operative report to identify the specific procedure performed rather than relying on the short descriptor.
- 27625Ankle synovectomy
- This code represents ankle-joint surgery that includes removal of joint lining. Use 27610 when the documented work is exploration, drainage, or foreign-body removal instead.
- 27626Ankle synovectomy
- This is an ankle-joint lining procedure distinguished by extent. Code 27610 describes exploration, drainage, or foreign-body removal, not joint-lining removal.
27610 billing questions
How is this different from an ankle arthroscopy?
This code describes open access to the ankle joint. Do not use it for work performed solely through an arthroscope.
Can I report an office ankle aspiration separately?
This code represents an operative joint-opening procedure, not an aspiration. The operative report should support the open surgical work rather than a needle-based service.
What documentation supports reporting this code?
Document the ankle joint as the operative site, why it was opened, and whether the surgeon explored, drained, or removed a foreign body.
How does the 90-day global period affect postoperative visits?
The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included in the global period.
Can an assistant surgeon or co-surgeon be reported?
Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
How is bilateral ankle surgery paid?
When the procedure is performed bilaterally and reported with modifier 50, Medicare pays at 150%.
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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