Arthroscopy, shoulder, surgical; synovectomy, complete

CPT 29821 is the billing code for "Arthroscopy, shoulder, surgical; synovectomy, complete". For surgical shoulder arthroscopy with complete synovectomy

Medicare pays approximately $590.00 for CPT 29821 (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 29821 has a total RVU of 28.95, broken down as: Work RVU 12.50, Practice Expense RVU 15.20, and Malpractice RVU 1.25. RVUs (Relative Value Units) determine Medicare reimbursement rates.

Key documentation requirements for CPT 29821 include: Indication for complete 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 29821: Includes surgical arthroscopy. Includes complete synovectomy Use an NCCI bundling checker to verify specific code combinations before billing.

Common modifiers for CPT 29821 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 29821 is 60-90 minutes typical operative time. Time-based codes require documentation of the actual time spent providing the service.