Arthroscopy · Hip

Arthroscopic hip surgery to reshape the femoral head by removing a cam lesion causing femoroacetabular impingement.

Verified May 8, 2026 · 7 sources ↓

Medicare: $915.18
Total RVUs: 27.4
Global, days: 90
Region: Hip

Drawn from CMSAAPCStudentJposnaAustinstonemd

Documentation requirements

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

Source · Editorial brief grounded in 7 cited references ↓

Operative note must identify the cam lesion by location on the femoral head-neck junction and describe the femoroplasty technique (e.g., amount of bone resected, restoration of alpha angle).
Pre-operative imaging (MRI or CT) confirming cam morphology and FAI diagnosis — payers frequently require this for medical necessity review.
Documentation of failed conservative management (physical therapy, activity modification, NSAIDs) prior to surgical intervention.
If billing 29914 with 29916 or 29915, the operative note must clearly describe each distinct procedure as separately performed and medically necessary.
Laterality must be specified in both the operative note and on the claim — LT or RT modifier required; bilateral hip femoroplasty in a single session is rare but requires modifier 50.
Capsular closure and intra-articular chondroplasty/debridement findings should be documented but noted as inclusive to 29914 — do not code them separately.

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 76 Repeat, same physician 77 Repeat, another physician 78 Unplanned return — related 79 Unrelated during global AS PA/NP/CNS assistant LT Left side RT Right side

What this code covers

Source · Editorial summary grounded in 7 cited references ↓

CPT 29914 covers arthroscopic femoroplasty of the hip — specifically, the surgical reshaping or contouring of the femoral head to eliminate a cam-type lesion responsible for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI). The surgeon accesses the joint through arthroscopic portals, identifies the bony prominence on the femoral head-neck junction, and resects or smooths it to restore normal spherical geometry and relieve impingement against the acetabular rim. This is one of the most commonly performed hip preservation procedures, particularly in active and athletic patients.

This code carries a 90-day global period. Capsular closure performed as part of the femoroplasty is included and not separately reportable. Chondroplasty (debridement of articular cartilage) at the same hip joint is also bundled per NCCI edits — 29862 is inclusive to 29914 and cannot be unbundled with a modifier. When the surgeon also addresses a labral tear or a pincer lesion in the same session, 29916 (labral repair) or 29915 (acetabuloplasty) may be reported alongside 29914 with modifier 51. However, 29915 and 29916 cannot both be reported together — CPT guidelines prohibit that combination.

Payer medical necessity criteria for FAI surgery vary. Lifewise and similar payers require documented conservative treatment failure and specific imaging findings before approving 29914. Confirm prior authorization requirements and coverage criteria before scheduling, as medical necessity denials are a primary denial vector for this code.

RVU & reimbursement

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

Source · CMS Physician Fee Schedule, RVU26A · January 2026

Work RVU	14.3
Practice expense RVU	10.27
Malpractice RVU	2.83
Total RVU	27.4
Medicare national rate	$915.18
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	$915.18
HOPD (APC 5114) Hospital outpatient department	$7,413.38
ASC (PI G2) Ambulatory surgical center (freestanding)	$3,695.53

Common denial reasons

The recurring reasons claims for CPT 29914 get rejected.

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

Medical necessity denial when conservative treatment failure is not documented prior to surgery — many payers require a minimum trial period.
Unbundling denial for reporting 29862 alongside 29914 — NCCI edits bundle chondroplasty/debridement into femoroplasty at the same joint.
Missing or mismatched laterality — claim submitted without LT or RT modifier, or modifier conflicts with the operative report.
Simultaneous billing of 29915 and 29916 together, which CPT explicitly prohibits — only one may accompany 29914 per encounter.
Global period conflict — post-op services billed without modifier 24 or 79 when they fall within the 90-day global and are unrelated to the index procedure.

Frequently asked questions

Source · Generated from the editorial pipeline, verified against 7 cited references ↓

01Can I bill 29914 and 29916 together in the same session?

Yes. When the surgeon performs both femoroplasty and labral repair in the same hip, report 29914 and 29916 together with modifier 51 on the lower-valued code. This is one of the most common hip arthroscopy combinations and is supported by CPT guidelines and the NCCI.

02Can I bill 29914, 29915, and 29916 all together?

No. CPT guidelines explicitly prohibit reporting 29915 (acetabuloplasty) with 29916 (labral repair) together. If the surgeon addressed both a cam lesion and labral pathology, use 29914 and 29916. If pincer pathology was treated but no labral repair was done, use 29914 and 29915.

03Is capsular closure separately billable when performed with 29914?

No. Capsular closure is included in the hip arthroscopy procedure and is not separately reportable. Document it in the operative note, but do not assign an additional code.

04Can 29862 (chondroplasty/debridement) be reported with 29914 using modifier 59?

Generally no. NCCI edits bundle 29862 into 29914 based on CPT manual instruction, and Chapter 4 of the 2026 NCCI Policy Manual states that debridement is inclusive to arthroscopic procedures at the same joint. The 59 modifier will not override a bundling edit grounded in CPT coding instruction.

05What modifiers are required for bilateral hip femoroplasty?

For Medicare, report 29914 with modifier 50 on a single claim line. For ASC billing, report two claim lines — one with modifier LT and one with modifier RT — each with one unit of service, per NCCI Chapter 4 ASC reporting rules.

06Does 29914 require prior authorization?

Many commercial payers require it. Payers such as Lifewise apply a formal medical necessity policy for FAI surgical treatment that requires documented conservative care failure and imaging confirmation of cam morphology. Check payer-specific policies before scheduling.

07What is the global period for 29914 and what does it include?

29914 carries a 90-day global period. That covers the day-of surgery, the day-before visit, and all routine post-op care through day 90. Unrelated procedures in that window need modifier 79; unrelated E/M visits need modifier 24.

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 cam lesion location, femoroplasty technique, and alpha angle correction from surgeon dictation — and flags when chondroplasty or capsular closure language appears in the note so coders know those services are bundled into 29914 and not separately billable. This prevents the most common unbundling denial (29862 reported with 29914) before the claim is submitted.

See how Mira captures CPT 29914 documentation