Arthroscopy · Knee

Arthroscopic knee surgery to repair both the medial and lateral meniscus during a single operative session.

Verified May 8, 2026 · 8 sources ↓

Medicare: $785.92
Total RVUs: 23.53
Global, days: 90
Region: Knee

Drawn from CMSAetnaNIHMdclarityCentralhealthplan

Documentation requirements

What must appear in the operative or office note to support the claim.

Source · Editorial brief grounded in 8 cited references ↓

Operative note must explicitly confirm repair of both medial AND lateral meniscus — not just visualization or probing of both structures.
Document the specific repair technique used for each meniscus (e.g., inside-out, outside-in, all-inside) and the tear pattern (bucket-handle, radial, flap).
Record the approach portals used and any additional procedures performed during the same session, with their CPT codes documented separately.
Pre-operative imaging (MRI preferred) confirming bilateral meniscal tears to support medical necessity and link to the correct acute-injury ICD-10 codes.
Anesthesia type and patient positioning documented in the anesthesia and nursing records.
If modifier 22 is appended, include a separate written justification in the note detailing why the repair required substantially more work than typical — complexity of tear pattern, increased operative time, technical difficulty.

Applicable modifiers

Modifiers commonly billed with this code.

Source · AMA CPT modifier descriptors · CMS NCCI Policy Manual

22 Increased complexity 50 Bilateral procedure 51 Multiple procedures 59 Distinct service LT Left side RT Right side 76 Repeat, same physician 77 Repeat, another physician 78 Unplanned return — related 79 Unrelated during global

What this code covers

Source · Editorial summary grounded in 8 cited references ↓

CPT 29883 covers arthroscopic surgical repair of both the medial and lateral menisci of the knee in one operative encounter. This is the key distinction from 29882, which applies when only one meniscus (medial OR lateral) is repaired. Both menisci must be documented as repaired — not merely inspected or debrided — for 29883 to be defensible.

The procedure carries a 90-day global period. All routine post-op visits, dressing changes, and stitch removals through day 90 are bundled into the surgical payment. If a concomitant, separately identifiable E/M service is performed on the day of surgery, append modifier 25. For unrelated procedures performed within the global window, use modifier 79. For unplanned returns to the OR for a related complication, use modifier 78 — not 79.

Payer coverage hinges heavily on diagnosis coding. Aetna and many other commercial payers cover 29883 when linked to acute meniscal tear diagnoses (ICD-10 S83.200A–S83.289S range) but explicitly exclude it for chronic derangement from old tears (M23.200–M23.269) and knee pain alone (M25.561–M25.569). Medicare's NCA on osteoarthritic knee arthroscopy (CAG-00167N) restricts coverage for debridement/lavage in severe OA; meniscal repair coding does not automatically escape that scrutiny if the clinical picture is primarily degenerative.

RVU & reimbursement

Component RVUs and Medicare national rate. Actual payment varies by GPCI locality.

Source · CMS Physician Fee Schedule, RVU26A · January 2026

Work RVU	11.48
Practice expense RVU	9.64
Malpractice RVU	2.41
Total RVU	23.53
Medicare national rate	$785.92
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	$785.92
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 29883 get rejected.

Source · Editorial brief grounded in CMS NCCI edits, AAOS coding appeals, and cited references ↓

Diagnosis code mismatch: billing with a degenerative/chronic tear code (M23.2xx) or knee pain code (M25.56x) rather than an acute injury code, triggering medical necessity denial under many payer policies.
Upcoding flag: payers downgrade 29883 to 29882 when the operative note documents repair of only one meniscus or describes the second meniscus as inspected/shaved rather than repaired.
NCCI bundling conflict when additional knee arthroscopy codes are billed same-day without a valid modifier 59 or XS to establish a distinct procedural service.
Missing prior authorization: most commercial payers require pre-auth for bilateral meniscal repair; claims submitted without it are denied on administrative grounds regardless of clinical appropriateness.
Global period conflict: post-op visits billed without modifier 24 (unrelated E/M) within the 90-day global are automatically bundled and denied.

Frequently asked questions

Source · Generated from the editorial pipeline, verified against 8 cited references ↓

01What is the difference between 29882 and 29883?

29882 covers repair of one meniscus (medial OR lateral). 29883 requires repair of both the medial AND lateral menisci in the same operative session. If only one is repaired, 29883 is not supported regardless of what was visualized.

02Can 29883 and 29882 be billed together on the same claim?

No. 29883 already represents bilateral meniscal repair. Billing 29882 alongside it would constitute duplicate billing for the same anatomical work. NCCI edits will bundle these.

03Can 29883 be billed with an ACL reconstruction code like 29888 on the same day?

Yes, but expect NCCI scrutiny. AAPC forum guidance confirms 29883 appears in column 2 against ACL repair codes. Append modifier 59 or XS to 29883 to indicate the meniscal repair is a distinct service, and ensure the operative note documents both procedures separately with their own repair descriptions.

04How does the 90-day global period affect post-op billing?

All routine follow-up visits through day 90 are bundled. Bill modifier 24 on an E/M only if the visit addresses a condition completely unrelated to the knee surgery. Modifier 79 covers an unrelated procedure performed during the global window by the same surgeon.

05Does Medicare cover 29883 for degenerative meniscal tears in the setting of osteoarthritis?

Coverage is restricted. CMS's NCA on osteoarthritic knee arthroscopy (CAG-00167N) limits arthroscopic procedures for OA patients. Meniscal repair tied to an acute traumatic tear may clear the bar, but if the clinical picture is primarily degenerative OA, expect heightened scrutiny and potential denial. Many MACs require operative notes and standing X-rays for these cases.

06When is modifier 50 appropriate for 29883?

Only if both knees undergo bilateral meniscal repair in the same operative session — an uncommon scenario. Do not use modifier 50 simply because both the medial and lateral menisci of one knee are repaired; that is exactly what 29883 already describes.

07What ICD-10 codes support medical necessity for 29883?

Acute meniscal tear codes in the S83.200A–S83.289S range are the strongest medical necessity link. Aetna and similar payers explicitly exclude chronic derangement codes (M23.200–M23.269) and isolated knee pain (M25.561–M25.569) from covered indications for meniscal repair.

Sources & references

Editorial content was developed using the following public sources. Last verified May 8, 2026.

Mira AI Scribe

Mira's AI scribe captures the repair technique, tear location, and compartment for each meniscus from dictation — flagging cases where only one meniscus is described as repaired so the coder can confirm 29883 vs. 29882 before the claim drops. It also pulls the acute vs. chronic tear distinction from the H&P and operative note to auto-suggest the correct ICD-10 tier, preventing the degenerative-diagnosis denials that are the leading rejection reason for this code.

See how Mira captures CPT 29883 documentation