CPT code 26843 represents surgical arthrodesis (fusion) of a carpometacarpal joint for a digit other than the thumb. This procedure addresses joint instability, pain, or deformity by surgically immobilizing the joint, sometimes using internal fixation devices. Nationally, the code is relevant to surgical billing and coverage for hand and upper-extremity procedures performed in operating rooms and ambulatory surgery centers.

Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise account of how CPT code 26843 is defined clinically, the typical procedural setting and provider specialties involved, and the common payer landscape that impacts reimbursement and coverage decisions. The publication outlines benchmarks and payment patterns, highlights policy and coding considerations that affect claim adjudication, and situates the code within the broader clinical context of hand surgery.

This summary equips billing managers, surgical practices, and policy analysts with the core facts about CPT code 26843, what to expect in site-of-service utilization, and the payer mix most likely encountered nationally.