Endoscopic release of the plantar fascia at the heel, performed through small portal incisions using a scope to visualize and incise the fascial band.

Verified May 8, 2026 · 6 sources ↓

Medicare: $665.35
Total RVUs: 19.92
Global, days: 90
Region: Foot & ankle

Drawn from CMSMolinahealthcareAAPCAbos

Documentation requirements

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

Source · Editorial brief grounded in 6 cited references ↓

Documented failure of conservative treatment (e.g., orthotics, stretching, injections, night splints) for an adequate duration — most payers require at least 3–6 months
Operative note must specify portal placement, endoscopic visualization findings, and which fascial band(s) were released
Laterality documented in both the operative note and the diagnosis coding (left vs. right foot)
ICD-10 diagnosis supporting chronic plantar fasciitis (M72.2 or appropriate plantar fasciitis code) linked to the claim
If modifier 22 is used, operative note must describe specific factors that increased intraoperative complexity beyond the typical procedure
Prior treatment records or referring provider notes confirming failed nonoperative management

Applicable modifiers

Modifiers commonly billed with this code.

Source · AMA CPT modifier descriptors · CMS NCCI Policy Manual

22 Increased complexity 24 Unrelated E/M during global 50 Bilateral procedure 51 Multiple procedures 58 Staged or related 59 Distinct service 76 Repeat, same physician 77 Repeat, another physician 78 Unplanned return — related 79 Unrelated during global LT Left side RT Right side

What this code covers

Source · Editorial summary grounded in 6 cited references ↓

CPT 29893 covers an endoscopic plantar fasciotomy — a minimally invasive surgical release of the plantar fascia performed after conservative treatment has failed. The surgeon makes small portal incisions, advances an endoscope to visualize the plantar fascia, and transects the medial band to decompress the chronic tension driving plantar fasciitis symptoms. No open dissection is required.

29893 carries a 90-day global period. All routine post-op visits, wound checks, and dressing changes within that window are bundled — bill separately only for unrelated E/M services (modifier 24) or a distinctly separate procedure (modifier 79). The 90-day clock runs from the date of surgery.

NCCI policy is explicit: codes 28008, 28060, 28062, 28250, and 29893 all address plantar fascia, and no two of them may be reported for the same ipsilateral foot at the same encounter. If a calcaneal spur excision is also performed, evaluate whether 28119 is more appropriate or whether the additional work supports a modifier 22. Fluoroscopy (76000) is bundled into endoscopic procedures and is not separately reportable.

RVU & reimbursement

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

Source · CMS Physician Fee Schedule, RVU26A · January 2026

Work RVU	6.16
Practice expense RVU	13.2
Malpractice RVU	0.56
Total RVU	19.92
Medicare national rate	$665.35
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	$665.35
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 29893 get rejected.

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

Insufficient documentation of failed conservative care — payers deny when the record lacks a clear treatment timeline with specific therapies tried
Bundling violation: 29893 billed alongside 28060, 28062, 28008, or 28250 for the ipsilateral foot at the same encounter without understanding the NCCI mutual exclusivity rule
Missing or ambiguous laterality — claim submitted without LT or RT modifier when payer requires it, triggering a duplicate-service edit
Global period billing error — post-op E/M visits billed without modifier 24 during the 90-day global, resulting in automatic denial
Medical necessity denial when operative note does not reference or attach documented conservative treatment failure

Frequently asked questions

Source · Generated from the editorial pipeline, verified against 6 cited references ↓

01Can I bill 29893 and 28060 together if the surgeon did both open and endoscopic work on the same foot?

No. NCCI policy explicitly bars reporting any two codes from the group 28008, 28060, 28062, 28250, and 29893 for the same ipsilateral foot at the same encounter. Choose the code that best represents the definitive procedure performed.

02What modifier do I use if the endoscopic fasciotomy is performed on both feet during the same session?

Append modifier 50 for a bilateral procedure reported on a single line, or submit on two lines with LT and RT. Verify which format your payer requires — Medicare prefers the two-line approach for many surgical codes.

03Is fluoroscopy separately billable when used during 29893?

No. Per NCCI policy, fluoroscopy (CPT 76000) is an integral component of arthroscopic and endoscopic procedures and cannot be billed separately.

04How long is the global period for 29893, and what does it include?

29893 carries a 90-day global period. That covers the surgery, the day-before pre-op visit, and all routine post-operative care through day 90. Unrelated E/M visits in that window require modifier 24; a new unrelated procedure requires modifier 79.

05What ICD-10 codes are typically linked to 29893?

M72.2 (plantar fascial fibromatosis) and the plantar fasciitis codes are the primary diagnoses. Confirm laterality coding aligns with the LT/RT modifier on the claim to avoid a mismatch edit.

06If the surgeon removes a calcaneal spur at the same time, can I bill 28119 with 29893?

28119 is not in the same NCCI mutual-exclusivity group as 29893, so it is not automatically bundled by that specific rule. However, if the fascial release is integral to the spur excision — or vice versa — separate billing may still be challenged. Document distinct work for each procedure and evaluate whether modifier 59 is supportable, or whether modifier 22 on 29893 better captures the increased complexity.

07What conservative treatment documentation do payers typically require before approving 29893?

Most payers, including Molina, require documented failure of first-line therapies — orthotics, cortisone injections, stretching programs — for at least six weeks, with many requiring three to six months. Attach prior treatment records or include a summary in the operative note.

Sources & references

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

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Mira's AI scribe captures portal placement, endoscopic findings, the specific fascial band released, and the surgeon's documented rationale after failed conservative care — all from dictation. That prevents the two most common denial triggers for 29893: a missing failed-conservative-care narrative and an operative note that doesn't specify which structure was released.

See how Mira captures CPT 29893 documentation