Arthroscopy, shoulder, surgical; synovectomy, partial

CPT 29820 is the billing code for "Arthroscopy, shoulder, surgical; synovectomy, partial". For surgical shoulder arthroscopy with partial synovectomy

Medicare pays approximately $531.45 for CPT 29820 (national average). Actual payment varies by geographic location due to GPCI adjustments. Hospital and commercial insurance rates are typically 2-4x higher than Medicare rates.

CPT 29820 has a total RVU of 23.20, broken down as: Work RVU 10.00, Practice Expense RVU 12.20, and Malpractice RVU 1.00. RVUs (Relative Value Units) determine Medicare reimbursement rates.

Key documentation requirements for CPT 29820 include: Indication for synovectomy; Extent of synovectomy; Compartments involved; Synovial pathology. Missing or incomplete documentation is a leading cause of claim denials for this code.

Bundling considerations for CPT 29820: Includes surgical arthroscopy. Includes partial synovectomy Use an NCCI bundling checker to verify specific code combinations before billing.

Common modifiers for CPT 29820 include: 50 (Bilateral procedure when both shoulders performed same session), 51 (Multiple procedures performed same session), 22 (Increased procedural services for extensive synovectomy). Modifiers indicate special circumstances and can affect reimbursement or prevent claim denials.

The typical time requirement for CPT 29820 is 45-75 minutes typical operative time. Time-based codes require documentation of the actual time spent providing the service.