Arthroscopic repair or augmentation of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) of the knee, performed under endoscopic visualization.
Verified May 8, 2026 · 6 sources ↓
- Medicare
- $1,132.29
- Total RVUs
- 33.9
- 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 whether the procedure was a repair of native PCL tissue or an augmentation with graft, and identify graft source (autograft vs. allograft) if applicable
- Document the arthroscopic portals used and the surgeon's intraoperative findings, including PCL injury grade or pattern
- Record each compartment examined and any additional pathology addressed, with compartment-level detail to support add-on codes like G0289
- Include imaging correlation (MRI characterization of PCL tear) in the preoperative record to establish medical necessity
- Operative note must name the specific technique — primary repair, reconstruction, or augmentation — not a generic phrase like 'PCL procedure'
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 ↓
CPT 29889 covers arthroscopic surgery on the knee in which the surgeon addresses a torn or insufficient posterior cruciate ligament — either by direct repair of native tissue or by augmenting it with a graft. The procedure is performed entirely through arthroscopic portals. Because the PCL is a deep, complex structure, 29889 is among the highest-RVU knee arthroscopy codes in the 29866–29889 series.
The 90-day global period means the surgical fee bundles the day-before decision visit (use modifier 57 on the E/M), the procedure itself, and all routine follow-up through day 90. Any E/M for an unrelated condition during that window requires modifier 24. A staged or planned return surgery gets modifier 58; an unplanned return for a related complication gets modifier 78; an unplanned return for an unrelated problem gets modifier 79.
NCCI policy explicitly prohibits separately reporting 29874 or 29877 with any code in the 29866–29889 range on the same knee at the same encounter. G0289 is the correct add-on when loose body removal or chondroplasty is performed in a different compartment of the same knee during the same session. Diagnostic arthroscopy is bundled into 29889 and cannot be billed separately.
RVU & reimbursement
Component RVUs and Medicare national rate. Actual payment varies by GPCI locality.
Source · CMS Physician Fee Schedule, RVU26A · January 2026
| Work RVU | 16.97 |
| Practice expense RVU | 13.32 |
| Malpractice RVU | 3.61 |
| Total RVU | 33.9 |
| Medicare national rate | $1,132.29 |
| 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 | $1,132.29 |
HOPD (APC 5115) Hospital outpatient department | $13,116.76 |
ASC (PI J8) Ambulatory surgical center (freestanding) | $9,934.11 |
Common denial reasons
The recurring reasons claims for CPT 29889 get rejected.
Source · Editorial brief grounded in CMS NCCI edits, AAOS coding appeals, and cited references ↓
- Medical necessity not established — payer requires pre-auth or documented failure of conservative treatment before approving PCL arthroscopy
- 29874 or 29877 billed on the same claim line for the same knee encounter, triggering automatic NCCI bundling denial
- Modifier 57 omitted on a same-day or day-before E/M visit that falls in the global period of this 90-day code
- Laterality modifier (LT or RT) missing on the claim, causing payer to reject for incomplete billing information
- Operative report describes only diagnostic arthroscopy without clearly documenting the therapeutic PCL repair or augmentation work
Frequently asked questions
Source · Generated from the editorial pipeline, verified against 6 cited references ↓
01Can 29889 be billed with 29881 (meniscectomy) on the same knee at the same session?
02What modifier do I use if the surgeon decides on PCL surgery during an office visit the day before the OR?
03Can 29874 or 29877 be billed with 29889 if loose body removal was done in a separate compartment?
04Is modifier 50 appropriate if PCL procedures are performed bilaterally?
05The patient returns six weeks post-op with a new acute meniscal tear. What modifier applies?
06What justifies modifier 22 on 29889?
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/04-chapter4-ncci-medicare-policy-manual-2025finalcleanpdf.pdf
- 03cms.govhttps://www.cms.gov/files/document/2025nccimedicarepolicymanualcompletepdf.pdf
- 04cms.govhttps://www.cms.gov/medicare/coding-billing/national-correct-coding-initiative-ncci-edits
- 05aaos.orghttps://www.aaos.org/globalassets/quality-and-practice-resources/coding-and-reimbursement/resident-guide/resident-guide_modifiers.pdf
- 06aapc.comhttps://www.aapc.com/codes/cpt-codes/29889
Mira AI Scribe
Mira's AI scribe captures the PCL injury classification, the surgical technique (repair vs. augmentation), graft type and harvest site if applicable, compartments visualized, and any additional intraoperative findings by compartment. That compartment-level detail is what separates a supportable G0289 add-on from an NCCI denial, and the explicit technique description prevents a payer from downcoding 29889 to a lower-value knee arthroscopy code.
See how Mira captures CPT 29889 documentation