Billing code 29892: Talar lesion repairMedicare rate & RVUs in Washington
Arthroscopically aided repair of a large talar dome osteochondritis dissecans lesion, including drilling and any bone grafting or fixation performed.
CMS doesn’t publish an office rate for 29892 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 29892 covers
This code covers arthroscopically aided repair of a large osteochondritis dissecans lesion on the talar dome. The ankle surgeon may drill the lesion and use bone grafting or fixation as needed to support repair. It is typically performed by an orthopedic foot and ankle surgeon in a hospital or ambulatory surgery center for a symptomatic talar lesion, often after an ankle injury. The repair addresses the osteochondral lesion itself, rather than a loose body or routine ankle debridement alone.
Select the code when the operative report supports repair of a large talar dome lesion; drilling, grafting, and fixation are included aspects of that repair. The record should identify the talar lesion and describe the arthroscopic repair performed. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and related postoperative care for 90 days. With multiple procedures in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures at 50%. For bilateral reporting with modifier 50, CMS pays 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made; 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 29892 pays more and less in Washington
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Rest Of Washington | Unavailable | $603.55 |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | Unavailable | $656.75 |
How the 29892 rate is calculated
Each of 29892’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 · 29892
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 10.01Practice expense 6.62Malpractice 1.26
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 29892
29892 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.
CMS payment indicators · 29892
Talar lesion 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) | 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 · 29892
Talar lesion 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
29892 without 50 · national facility
$597.54
Talar lesion repair
29892-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$896.31
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).
29892 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
29892 vs 29891 vs 29894 vs 29897: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 29891Ankle arthroscopy
- Choose 29892 for arthroscopically aided repair of a large talar dome lesion. Choose 29891 when the work is excision of an osteochondral defect, including drilling.
- 29894Ankle arthroscopy
- Code 29894 addresses arthroscopic removal of a loose body or foreign body. It does not describe repair of the talar dome lesion itself.
- 29897Ankle arthroscopy
- Code 29897 describes limited ankle arthroscopic debridement. It is not the code for repair of a large osteochondritis dissecans lesion.
29892 billing questions
How is this different from 29891?
This code describes arthroscopically aided repair of a large talar dome lesion. Code 29891 describes excision of an osteochondral defect, including drilling, rather than repair of a large lesion.
Are drilling, grafting, and fixation separately reported?
They are included aspects of the lesion repair described by this code. Do not report them as separate services merely because the surgeon used them during the repair.
What documentation supports choosing this code?
Document the talar dome lesion, its size or extent supporting repair, and the arthroscopic repair performed. Include details of drilling, grafting, or fixation when those steps are performed.
How should bilateral procedures be reported?
CMS identifies this as a bilateral procedure; modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Document the repair on each ankle.
What postoperative care is included?
The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. CMS also permits assistant-at-surgery payment, but not co-surgeons or team surgery.
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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