Choose 24546 when the fracture has intercondylar extension; 24545 applies when that extension is absent.
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CMS RVU26D · Effective 2026-10-01
24546 Distal humerus repair Medicare reimbursement rates in Wisconsin
Reports operative fixation of a distal humeral fracture extending between the condyles, typically when the fracture involves the elbow joint and requires open reduction. Compare 24546 office and facility rates across CMS payment localities in Wisconsin.
Amounts below use the non-QP conversion factor for participating physicians. These are base physician payments before claim-level adjustments, not patient costs or total hospital charges.
What does Medicare pay for 24546 in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has 1 payment locality in this comparison. Use the service location to choose the applicable amount. These are the supported base rates for the payment area shown below, using the same CMS release.
Office / nonfacility
No supported rate
Facility setting
$868.81
1 of 1 localities have a supported rate.
Payment area: Wisconsin
One mapped payment locality.
These are locality ranges, not averages or address-specific quotes. A facility-setting amount covers the physician service; it does not include a hospital’s separate bill. Choose a locality below to inspect its calculation, compare other payment areas, or price a percentage of Medicare.
Orthopedic surgery
About 24546: Open repair of distal humerus fracture with joint extension
Reports operative fixation of a distal humeral fracture extending between the condyles, typically when the fracture involves the elbow joint and requires open reduction.
An orthopedic surgeon uses this code for open repair of a distal humerus fracture whose pattern extends between the condyles. The operation exposes the fracture, restores alignment, and may use internal fixation to stabilize the fragments. These injuries involve the elbow end of the humerus and are generally treated in a hospital operating room. The fracture pattern and operative approach distinguish this service from repair of a supracondylar fracture without intercondylar extension.
Report the code when the operative report documents the intercondylar extension and open treatment; include the reduction and fixation performed as part of the operation. The CMS global period is 90 days and includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. For bilateral procedures reported with modifier 50, CMS pays 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made, and co-surgeons are permitted; team surgery is not permitted.
CMS billing rules for 24546
- Global period
- Major surgery with a 90-day global period: the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care are included.
- Multiple procedures
- Standard multiple procedure reduction: the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and others at 50% when performed in the same session.
- Bilateral procedures
- Bilateral procedure with modifier 50 is paid at 150%.
- Assistant at surgery
- Assistant at surgery may be paid.
- Co-surgeons
- Co-surgeons permitted.
- Team surgery
- Team surgery not permitted.
Where the value comes from
- Work RVU14.54 · 51%
- Practice expense (office) RVU11.01 · 39%
- Malpractice RVU3.00 · 11%
1.9K
Medicare services in 2024 · #2483 by national volume
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.
24546 compared with similar codes
Office rates for Wisconsin, from the same CMS release.
24538 describes percutaneous skeletal fixation. Use 24546 for open repair of a fracture with intercondylar extension.
24579 is for an open-treated humeral condylar fracture pattern; 24546 identifies the supracondylar or transcondylar pattern with intercondylar extension.
Compare 24546 by payment locality
Find the payment area for your service address, then open its rate page for calculation inputs, release history and the percentage-of-Medicare tool. A city may cross payment-area boundaries; the ZIP lookup above helps resolve the location.
1 of 1 payment localities
Wisconsin →
Office / nonfacility
Unavailable
Facility
$868.81
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How this local rate is calculated
Each RVU component is multiplied by its own geographic practice cost index (GPCI). The three adjusted components are added, then multiplied by the conversion factor. These are the inputs used for 24546 in Wisconsin.
PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv
2,334
- Code
- 24546
- Physician work
- 14.54
- Practice expense
- 11.01
- Malpractice
- 3.00
GPCI2026.csv
111
- Locality
- Wisconsin
- Physician work
- 1.000
- Practice expense
- 0.958
- Malpractice
- 0.308
| Component | RVU | Locality factor | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physician work | 14.54 | × 1.000 | 14.5400 |
| Practice expense | 11.01 | × 0.958 | 10.5476 |
| Malpractice | 3.00 | × 0.308 | 0.9240 |
| Total RVUs | 26.0116 | ||
| Conversion factor | × 33.4009 | ||
Facility rate, Wisconsin$868.81
Explore RVUs, geographic factors and the full formula
Facility
| Component | RVU | Local GPCI |
|---|---|---|
| Work | 14.54 | 1 |
| Practice expense | 11.01 | 0.958 |
| Malpractice | 3 | 0.308 |
(14.54 × 1 + 11.01 × 0.958 + 3 × 0.308) × $33.4009 = $868.81
The office and facility calculations use their respective practice-expense RVUs. The facility amount here is the physician fee, not a separate hospital or facility bill.
24546 billing questions
How is 24546 distinguished from 24545?
Use 24546 when the fracture extends between the condyles. Code 24545 describes the corresponding open repair without intercondylar extension.
Is the fixation reported separately?
Internal fixation performed as part of the open fracture repair is included in this service; do not report it again as a separate surgeon procedure.
What documentation supports 24546?
The operative report should identify the distal humerus fracture pattern, document its intercondylar extension, and describe the open reduction and stabilization performed.
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.
Can modifier 50 or an assistant-at-surgery claim be used?
For a bilateral procedure, CMS pays 150% when modifier 50 is used. Assistant-at-surgery payment may be made, and co-surgeons are 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 indices and the applicable conversion factor. Unavailable or separately priced services are labeled rather than assigned a made-up amount.
Source: RVU26D. Effective 2026-10-01 through the day before 2027-01-01.
