Medicare AdvantageBilling CodesHigh impact
Medications/Drugs (Outpatient/Part B)
UnitedHealthcare·Orthopedics, General Surgery·Medical Policy
Effective date
Sep 1, 2026
We identified it
Sep 2, 2026
Summary
UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage removed coverage for acetabuloplasty/Girdlestone procedures and modified surgical code coverage for hip, wrist, and thumb procedures effective September 1, 2026. Billing teams must remove CPT codes 25449, 29840, and 27122 from claims and add CPT 27299 for Femoroacetabular Impingement syndrome. Updated CMS reference documents are now available.
Action Required
By September 1, 2026: Billing team must immediately update billing system rules to REMOVE CPT codes 25449, 29840, and 27122 from Medicare Advantage claim submissions—these codes will be denied if billed. ADD CPT 27299 as the new covered code for Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI) Syndrome procedures. Update encounter forms and provider templates to reflect removed procedures (acetabuloplasty/Girdlestone) are no longer covered. Notify orthopedic and surgical providers of code changes and removed coverage. Reject any claims submitted with deleted codes at point-of-entry before submission to avoid denials. Failure to comply will result in claim denials and rework.