Knee arthroscopy with surgical repair of a torn meniscus in the medial or lateral compartment, including any diagnostic arthroscopy performed at the same session.
Verified May 8, 2026 · 6 sources ↓
- Medicare
- $641.97
- Total RVUs
- 19.22
- Global, days
- 90
- Region
- Knee
Documentation requirements
What must appear in the operative or office note to support the claim.
Source · Editorial brief grounded in 6 cited references ↓
- Specify medial or lateral compartment — the code covers one; document which compartment was repaired.
- Describe the tear pattern (bucket-handle, radial, horizontal cleavage, root tear) and its location within the meniscus (anterior horn, body, posterior horn).
- Detail the repair technique used — number and type of sutures or fixation devices, and suture configuration (inside-out, outside-in, all-inside).
- Confirm meniscal tissue viability documented as rationale for repair over resection.
- Record intraoperative findings for all compartments examined, including any concurrent procedures performed and their justification.
- If modifier 59 or XS is appended for an additional procedure, document that the additional work was in a distinct anatomic site or involved a separate procedure not integral to the primary repair.
Applicable modifiers
Modifiers commonly billed with this code.
Source · AMA CPT modifier descriptors · CMS NCCI Policy Manual
What this code covers
Source · Editorial summary grounded in 6 cited references ↓
29882 covers arthroscopic meniscal repair of either the medial or lateral compartment of the knee. The surgeon uses suture-based fixation techniques to reattach torn meniscal tissue rather than excising it — a key distinction from 29881 (partial meniscectomy) and 29880 (meniscectomy both compartments). Because surgical arthroscopy always includes diagnostic arthroscopy, 29870 cannot be separately reported on the same knee during the same operative session.
The code carries a 90-day global period under CMS Physician Fee Schedule 2026. All routine post-op care, portal closures, and standard dressing changes fall inside that window. Bill modifier 24 for unrelated E/M visits during the global period and modifier 78 for an unplanned return to the OR for a complication related to the original repair.
Site of service matters significantly here: HOPD and ASC facility payments differ substantially — see the Site of Service comparison table on this page. When a concurrent procedure such as chondroplasty (29877) or synovectomy (29875) is performed in the same compartment or an additional compartment, NCCI edits and modifier 59 or XS applicability must be evaluated before appending additional codes. Payers vary on whether they reimburse meniscal repair and partial meniscectomy together even with modifier 59; verify with each commercial plan.
RVU & reimbursement
Component RVUs and Medicare national rate. Actual payment varies by GPCI locality.
Source · CMS Physician Fee Schedule, RVU26A · January 2026
| Work RVU | 9.36 |
| Practice expense RVU | 8 |
| Malpractice RVU | 1.86 |
| Total RVU | 19.22 |
| Medicare national rate | $641.97 |
| Global period | 90 days |
Payment by site of service
Medicare pays different rates by setting. HOPD typically pays substantially more than ASC for the same procedure.
Source · CMS OPPS Addendum B·ASC HCPCS payment rates·2026
| Setting | Medicare rate (national) |
|---|---|
Office (PFS non-facility) Procedure performed in physician's office | $641.97 |
HOPD (APC 5113) Hospital outpatient department | $3,342.87 |
ASC (PI A2) Ambulatory surgical center (freestanding) | $1,644.87 |
Common denial reasons
The recurring reasons claims for CPT 29882 get rejected.
Source · Editorial brief grounded in CMS NCCI edits, AAOS coding appeals, and cited references ↓
- Diagnostic arthroscopy (29870) billed same-day on the same knee — NCCI bundles it into the surgical arthroscopy; remove it.
- Missing laterality: claim submitted without LT or RT modifier causes processing delays or denial by many payers.
- Incorrect compartment specificity — operative note says 'medial and lateral' repair but only 29882 (one compartment) was billed, or vice versa, triggering an audit flag.
- Concurrent meniscectomy and meniscal repair billed together without modifier 59/XS — payers require clear documentation that work occurred in distinct compartments.
- Medical necessity denial when preoperative MRI or clinical documentation does not substantiate a repairable tear in a patient with advanced osteoarthritis.
Frequently asked questions
Source · Generated from the editorial pipeline, verified against 6 cited references ↓
01Can I bill 29882 and 29881 together on the same knee?
02Does 29882 cover both medial and lateral compartment repairs in the same session?
03Can I separately report diagnostic arthroscopy (29870) on the same day as 29882?
04What modifier do I use if the patient returns to the OR during the 90-day global for a repair-related complication?
05Is an E/M visit on the same day as 29882 billable?
06Does the site of service affect reimbursement for 29882?
07What ICD-10 diagnoses are typically required for medical necessity?
Sources & references
Editorial content was developed using the following public sources. Last verified May 8, 2026.
- 01CMS Physician Fee Schedule 2026
- 02cms.govhttps://www.cms.gov/files/document/chapter4cptcodes20000-29999final11.pdf
- 03aapc.comhttps://www.aapc.com/blog/33738-33738/
- 04coderoncall.nethttps://www.coderoncall.net/post/medicare-ncci-guidelines-for-arthroscopy
- 05cms.govhttps://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/view/article.aspx?articleid=52369&ver=11&
- 06aaos.orghttps://www.aaos.org/quality/coding-and-reimbursement/
Mira AI Scribe
Mira's AI scribe captures the repaired compartment (medial vs. lateral), tear morphology, fixation technique, suture count and device type, and intraoperative findings across all three compartments from surgeon dictation. This prevents the most common audit flag — an operative note that documents findings globally without tying the repair to a specific compartment — and supports modifier 59 or XS if a concurrent procedure is billed.
See how Mira captures CPT 29882 documentation