CPT 24587 Reimbursement & Benchmarks | OpenPayer

Summary & Overview

CPT 24587: Open Repair of Elbow Fracture or Dislocation with Implant

CPT code 24587 denotes an open surgical procedure to treat elbow fractures, elbow dislocations, or both by placing one or more implants. This operative code captures procedures that restore joint alignment and stability through internal fixation or implant-based techniques. Nationally, procedures represented by this code are important for trauma care workflows, orthopedic surgical case mix, and inpatient and ambulatory surgical center utilization patterns.

Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find clinical context on the operative nature of the service, typical sites of care, and how the code is used in surgical management of elbow trauma. The publication also summarizes commonly reported modifiers and the landscape of related billing practices where available.

This resource helps clinicians, coding professionals, and policy analysts understand where CPT code 24587 fits in surgical billing, the clinical scenarios that prompt its use, and the payer mix commonly involved. Data not available in the input for specific associated taxonomies, ICD-10 diagnoses, related codes, and service-line financial benchmarks are noted as unavailable elsewhere in the full publication.

AetnaBlue Cross Blue ShieldCigna HealthUnitedHealthcareMedicare24587CPTelbow surgeryopen reduction internal fixationorthopedicstraumasurgical billingambulatory surgical centerhospital

Billing Code Overview

CPT code 24587 describes an open surgical treatment of an elbow fracture, elbow dislocation, or both using one or more implants performed through an incision in the skin. This procedure involves internal fixation or other implant-based repair techniques to restore alignment and stability of the elbow joint after traumatic injury.

Service type: Surgical, open repair with internal fixation
Typical site of service: Hospital operating room or ambulatory surgical center

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A 45-year-old male presents to the emergency department after a fall onto an outstretched hand with immediate elbow pain, deformity, and inability to move the joint. Radiographs and CT confirm a displaced intra-articular distal humerus fracture with associated elbow joint instability and partial dislocation. After preoperative evaluation and informed consent, the patient is taken to the operating room for open reduction and internal fixation using plates and screws to restore joint alignment and stability. The clinical workflow includes preoperative imaging and evaluation, general or regional anesthesia, open surgical approach through a skin incision, fracture reduction, implant fixation, intraoperative fluoroscopic confirmation, wound closure, postoperative immobilization in a splint or orthosis, pain control, and coordinated discharge planning with referral to physical therapy for staged range-of-motion and strengthening.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`00`	No modifier applicable (placeholder)	Rarely used; use payer-specific conventions if no other modifier applies.
`22`	Increased procedural services	Use when work, time, or complexity of the procedure is substantially greater than typical.

CPT 24565: Closed Manipulation of Humeral Epicondyle Fracture

CPT-24530-CLOSED-TREATMENT-HUMERUS-CONDYLAR-FRACTURE

CPT 24530: Closed Treatment of Humerus Fracture Through or Above Condyle

CPT-24535-HUMERUS-CONDYLAR-FRACTURE-CLOSED-REDUCTION

CPT 24535: Closed Treatment of Humerus Condylar Fracture (Without Open Incision)

CPT-24586-OPEN-ELBOW-FRACTURE-REPAIR

CPT 24586: Open Repair of Elbow Fracture or Dislocation

CPT-24505-CLOSED-TREATMENT-HUMERAL-SHAFT-FRACTURE

CPT 24505: Closed Treatment of Humeral Shaft Fracture

CPT-24675-PROXIMAL-ULNA-FRACTURE-CLOSED-TREATMENT-SPLINTING

CPT 24675: Closed Treatment of Proximal Ulna Fracture

CPT-24516-HUMERAL-SHAFT-INTERNAL-FIXATION-INTRAMEDULLARY-ROD

CPT 24516: Humeral Shaft Internal Fixation with Intramedullary Rod

CPT-24605-CLOSED-REDUCTION-ELBOW-DISLOCATION-GENERAL-ANESTHESIA

CPT 24605: Closed Reduction of Elbow Dislocation Under General Anesthesia

CPT-24515-OPEN-FIXATION-HUMERAL-SHAFT-FRACTURE

CPT 24515: Open Fixation of Humeral Shaft Fracture

CPT-24670-PROXIMAL-ULNA-FRACTURE-SPLINTING-CLOSED-TREATMENT

CPT 24670: Closed Treatment of Proximal Ulna Fracture with Splint

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24587

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
207R00000X	Orthopedic Surgery	Primary specialty performing open reduction and internal fixation about the elbow.
207P00000X	Hand Surgery	Often performs complex elbow fracture fixation when upper-extremity subspecialty care is needed.
208600000X	General Surgery	May be involved in trauma centers for initial management but less commonly performs definitive elbow ORIF.
2080P0206X	Emergency Medicine	Provides initial stabilization and transfer; not typically the billing provider for `24587`.
363L00000X	Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation	Provides postoperative rehabilitation but does not perform the surgical procedure.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`S42.441A`	Displaced fracture of shaft of left humerus, initial encounter for closed fracture	Distal humerus fractures leading to elbow instability treated with ORIF.
`S42.441B`	Displaced fracture of shaft of left humerus, subsequent encounter for fracture with routine healing	Follow-up coding after initial operative management when applicable.
`S42.441C`	Displaced fracture of shaft of left humerus, subsequent encounter for fracture with delayed healing	Captures delayed union after `24587`.
`S52.001A`	Unspecified fracture of proximal ulna, right, initial encounter for closed fracture	Olecranon or proximal ulna fractures often occur with elbow dislocations and may require fixation.
`S53.401A`	Subluxation of unspecified elbow, initial encounter	Elbow dislocations or subluxations that accompany fractures and are treated during the same operative session.
`M25.321`	Pain in right elbow	Postoperative or preoperative symptom commonly associated with elbow fracture/dislocation.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`24587`	Open treatment of fracture(s) of distal humerus and/or repair of elbow dislocation with internal fixation, through an opening in the skin, using implants	Primary procedure for operative fixation of elbow fracture/dislocation complex.
`20680`	Removal of implant; deep (e.g., buried wire, pin, screw, metal band, nail, or rod)	May be performed later if implants cause symptoms, become infected, or at surgeon’s discretion after healing.
`29806`	Arthroscopy, elbow, surgical; debridement, extensive	Performed adjunctively or subsequently for intra-articular debridement or stiffness management.
`24685`	Open treatment of olecranon fracture, with or without internal fixation	Alternative or concurrent procedure if olecranon fracture is part of the injury complex.
`20690`	Removal of implant; superficial	Used if superficial hardware removal is required following `24587`.
`64718`	Neuroplasty and/or transposition; ulnar nerve at the elbow	Frequently performed concurrently if ulnar nerve decompression/transposition is indicated due to trauma or to prevent iatrogenic neuropathy.

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