Summary & Overview
CPT 28800: Midtarsal (Transverse Tarsal) Foot Amputation
CPT code 28800 denotes a midtarsal (transverse tarsal) amputation performed through the talonavicular and calcaneocuboid joints, removing the forefoot and midfoot while preserving the heel and ankle. Nationally, this code represents a high-acuity surgical procedure used for definitive limb management in cases such as severe infection, ischemia, or traumatic injury where more distal salvage is not feasible. It has implications for hospital resource use, postoperative rehabilitation, prosthetic planning, and long-term functional outcomes.
Key payers in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find benchmarks on utilization and payment for this surgical service, a summary of clinical context and typical sites of service, and notes on billing considerations relevant to facility and physician claims. The report highlights common coder and clinical workflows tied to midtarsal amputation, and outlines where Data not available in the input limits deeper detail (for example, specific ICD-10 pairings and associated taxonomies). This national overview is intended to inform billing teams, hospital administrators, and policy analysts about the clinical meaning and billing context of CPT code 28800, facilitating coding accuracy and administrative planning.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 28800 describes a midtarsal (transverse tarsal) amputation, an operative procedure in which the foot is amputated just in front of the heel and ankle. The amputation is performed through the talonavicular and calcaneocuboid joints, removing the forefoot and midfoot while preserving the heel and ankle structures.
Service type: Surgical amputation of the foot (midtarsal/transverse tarsal amputation)
Typical site of service: Operating room or inpatient surgical suite; procedure may occur in hospital-based surgical centers or other acute care surgical settings
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is an adult with severe localized forefoot disease — for example, chronic ischemia with gangrene, uncontrolled infection (osteomyelitis) involving the midfoot, or traumatic crush injury limited to the forefoot — for whom limb salvage distal to the midtarsal joints is not feasible. The patient often has multiple comorbidities such as peripheral arterial disease, diabetes mellitus with neuropathy, or severe soft tissue loss. The surgical workflow includes preoperative vascular and infectious assessment, patient counseling about functional impact of a transmetatarsal/midtarsal (through talonavicular and calcaneocuboid joints) amputation, anesthesia evaluation, operative amputation of the foot through the transverse tarsal joints with attention to viable soft tissue coverage and hemostasis, possible stump revision or flap procedures, and postoperative wound care and prosthetic/orthotic planning. Typical site of service is an operating room in an acute care hospital or ambulatory surgical center when medically appropriate; inpatient setting is common when medical optimization, vascular procedures, or complex wound care are required.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
00 | Standard reporting — no modifier | Rarely used; typically not appended because CMS uses other modifiers for specific circumstances |