The CPT codes an orthopedic schedule revolves around
Not a code database — a working reference. The procedures that fill an ortho practice's OR block and injection schedule, in plain English, with the global periods that decide how follow-ups get booked.
About this reference (and what it deliberately is not)
CPT® codes are created and copyrighted by the American Medical Association, and the official code descriptors are licensed AMA content. This page therefore does something different from a code database: it lists the procedure codes an orthopedic practice schedules around every day, described in our own plain language. The numbers, however, are official: work RVUs, global periods, and payment amounts come from the public-domain CMS Physician Fee Schedule CY2026 January release (conversion factor $33.4009). Payment figures are national, unadjusted amounts — your locality's GPCI adjustments will shift them — and surgical amounts use the facility setting while office procedures use non-facility. For official descriptors and locality-specific rates, use the CMS Physician Fee Schedule lookup or licensed AMA CPT resources.
Joint replacement (arthroplasty)
| CPT code | What it is (plain language) | Work RVU | Global period | Approx. national Medicare payment (facility) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27447 | Total knee replacement | 19.11 | 90 days | $1,159 |
| 27130 | Total hip replacement | 19.11 | 90 days | $1,162 |
| 23472 | Total shoulder replacement (anatomic or reverse) | 21.58 | 90 days | $1,300 |
| 27236 | Partial hip replacement / fixation for femoral neck fracture | 17.17 | 90 days | $1,090 |
Arthroscopy and sports medicine
| CPT code | What it is (plain language) | Work RVU | Global period | Approx. national Medicare payment (facility) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29881 | Knee arthroscopy with removal of torn meniscus (one compartment) | 6.85 | 90 days | $516 |
| 29888 | Arthroscopic ACL reconstruction | 13.94 | 90 days | $889 |
| 29827 | Shoulder arthroscopy with rotator cuff repair | 15.20 | 90 days | $976 |
| 29826 | Shoulder arthroscopy with subacromial decompression (add-on code) | 2.93 | add-on | $148 |
Spine
| CPT code | What it is (plain language) | Work RVU | Global period | Approx. national Medicare payment (facility) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 63030 | Lumbar discectomy (removing herniated disc material pressing on a nerve) | 11.70 | 90 days | $898 |
| 63047 | Lumbar laminectomy for spinal stenosis | 14.99 | 90 days | $1,065 |
| 22612 | Lumbar spinal fusion, posterolateral approach (single level) | 22.94 | 90 days | $1,468 |
| 62323 | Lumbar/caudal epidural steroid injection with imaging guidance | 1.76 | 0 days | $89 |
Hand and upper extremity
| CPT code | What it is (plain language) | Work RVU | Global period | Approx. national Medicare payment (facility) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 64721 | Carpal tunnel release | 4.85 | 90 days | $423 |
| 26055 | Trigger finger release | 3.03 | 90 days | $288 |
| 25605 | Setting a broken wrist (distal radius) without surgery, with manipulation | 6.09 | 90 days | $549 |
| 25607 | Surgical fixation (ORIF) of a distal radius fracture | 9.32 | 90 days | $697 |
Foot and ankle
| CPT code | What it is (plain language) | Work RVU | Global period | Approx. national Medicare payment (facility) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28296 | Bunion correction with bone realignment (metatarsal osteotomy) | 8.04 | 90 days | $484 |
| 28285 | Hammertoe correction | 5.48 | 90 days | $371 |
Injections and office procedures
| CPT code | What it is (plain language) | Work RVU | Global period | Approx. national Medicare payment (office (non-facility)) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20610 | Injection or aspiration of a major joint (knee, hip, shoulder), no imaging | 0.77 | 0 days | $69 |
| 20611 | Major joint injection with ultrasound guidance | 1.07 | 0 days | $104 |
| 20550 | Injection of a tendon sheath or ligament | 0.73 | 0 days | $60 |
| 27096 | Sacroiliac (SI) joint injection with imaging | 1.44 | 0 days | $176 |
Office visits (E/M)
| CPT code | What it is (plain language) | Work RVU | Global period | Approx. national Medicare payment (office (non-facility)) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99203 | New patient office visit, moderate complexity | 1.60 | n/a | $118 |
| 99204 | New patient office visit, higher complexity | 2.60 | n/a | $177 |
| 99213 | Established patient office visit, moderate complexity | 1.30 | n/a | $95 |
| 99214 | Established patient office visit, higher complexity | 1.92 | n/a | $136 |
Why the global period column is there
The global period is the after-surgery window during which routine related care is bundled into the surgical payment — and it's the single most important scheduling fact about a procedure. A patient calling 3 weeks after a 27447 books a global follow-up, not a new evaluation. Our global periods guide explains the rules; ClinicFlow's scheduling agent enforces them on live calls. Global period assignments can change with each year's Physician Fee Schedule — verify current values in the CMS lookup.
Related references
Diagnosis codes by region: Knee · Hip · Shoulder · Spine · Hand & Wrist · Foot & Ankle · Billing modifiers · Prior auth guide
CPT® is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association. This page reproduces no AMA descriptors — descriptions are original plain-language summaries for educational use, not billing or coding advice. Global periods shown reflect typical Medicare assignments; confirm in the current CMS Physician Fee Schedule.
Frequently asked questions
What is CPT code 27447?
27447 is the code used for total knee replacement (total knee arthroplasty). It carries a 90-day global period under Medicare, so routine follow-up visits in the 90 days after surgery are bundled into the surgical payment.
What is CPT code 20610?
20610 covers injection or aspiration of a major joint such as the knee, hip, or shoulder without imaging guidance; 20611 is the same procedure with ultrasound guidance. Both typically carry a 0-day global period, so follow-up visits remain separately billable.
Why doesn't this page list every CPT code?
CPT codes and their official descriptors are copyrighted by the American Medical Association and require an AMA license to republish at database scale. This page instead covers the highest-volume orthopedic procedures with original plain-language descriptions, and points to the CMS Physician Fee Schedule lookup for official data.
Do office visits have global periods?
No. Evaluation and management codes like 99203-99204 (new patient) and 99213-99214 (established patient) have no global period. The global-period rules apply to procedures — and they determine whether a post-op visit is bundled or separately billable.
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