CPT code 27720: Tibia repair2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Washington
Surgical repair of an established tibial nonunion or malunion without bone graft, such as correction using compression or fixation techniques.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 27720 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 27720 covers
This procedure repairs a tibia that has failed to unite or has healed in an unsatisfactory position. An orthopedic surgeon typically performs it in an operating room, using a technique such as compression and fixation to address the bone-healing or alignment problem without a bone graft. The operative approach depends on the condition of the fracture and the repair plan.
Report this code when the documented repair is of the tibia and does not use a graft; graft-based methods and intramedullary nailing have distinct codes. The operative report should identify the bone and side, the nonunion or malunion, and the repair method, including whether graft was used. The code has a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in one session, the highest-valued is paid in full and others at 50%. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available; co-surgery 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 27720 pays more and less in Washington
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Rest Of Washington | Unavailable | $814.70 |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | Unavailable | $891.23 |
How the 27720 rate is calculated
Each of 27720’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 · 27720
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work12.05
12.05 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense9.83
9.83 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice2.41
2.41 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
24.2900
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$811.31
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 27720
27720 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 27720
Tibia repair
| 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 · 27720
Tibia repair
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
27720 without 50 · national facility
$811.31
Tibia repair
27720-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$1,216.97
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).
27720 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 27722Tibia repair
- Both address tibial nonunion or malunion, but 27722 is for a repair using a sliding graft; 27720 is for repair without graft.
- 27724Tibia repair
- Use 27724 when the tibial repair uses iliac or another autograft. This code describes repair without graft.
- 27725Tibial nonunion repair
- This code describes tibial nonunion or malunion repair by intramedullary nailing; 27720 is the without-graft repair category that is not identified by that method.
- 27750Tibia fracture care
- 27750 is for closed treatment of a tibial shaft fracture. Use 27720 for operative repair of an established tibial nonunion or malunion.
27720 billing questions
When should I report this instead of a graft-repair code?
Use 27720 for tibial nonunion or malunion repair without graft. If the documented repair uses a sliding graft or iliac or other autograft, consider 27722 or 27724, respectively.
Is this code for treatment of an acute tibial fracture?
No. It describes repair of an established nonunion or malunion; acute fracture treatment is reported with the code matching the fracture treatment and method.
What documentation supports reporting 27720?
The operative report should establish the tibial nonunion or malunion, identify the side, describe the repair technique, and support that no graft was used.
How does the 90-day global period affect postoperative billing?
The day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included in the global period.
How are bilateral repairs and additional procedures handled?
Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. For multiple procedures in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%.
Can an assistant or co-surgeon be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment may be available. Co-surgeons are paid only with 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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