CPT 29881: Federal IDR outcomes
Removal of knee cartilage using an endoscope
In 2025 Q1–Q4, the provider or facility offer prevailed in 90.8% of 1,121 determined Federal IDR dispute line items for CPT 29881. The median prevailing offer was 37.82x the QPA (25th–75th percentile 14.03x–77.01x; n = 940). The median time to a decision was 33 business days (n = 1,121).
Determined line items
1,121
2025 Q1–Q4 · 2 split decisions excluded
Provider win rate
90.8%
n = 1,121 · 2025 Q1–Q4
Median days to decision
33
business days, from dispute initiation · n = 1,121 · 2025 Q1–Q4
Dollar amounts
Total awarded
$10.6M
sum of prevailing offers · n = 830 · 2025 Q1–Q4
Total QPA
$1.2M
sum of QPAs, same line items · n = 830 · 2025 Q1–Q4
Awarded above QPA
$9.4M
total awarded minus total QPA · n = 830 · 2025 Q1–Q4
Median award per line item
$12,000
mean $12,761 · n = 830 · 2025 Q1–Q4
Median QPA
$128
per line item · n = 830 · 2025 Q1–Q4
Award vs QPA, dollar-weighted
8.99x
total awarded ÷ total QPA · n = 830 · 2025 Q1–Q4
Dollar amounts come from the separate CMS “QPA and Offers” file: line items decided for the provider or the plan with a non-suppressed QPA and prevailing offer. That file cannot be joined to the line items above, so its n differs. Awarded = the prevailing (selected) offer; it is not a record of what was paid. State comes from the file’s geographic region; a metro area that spans states counts in each. How the dollar figures work
Dollar amounts by period
| Period | Line items with $ | Total awarded | Total QPA | Above QPA | Median award | Median QPA | Award ×QPA ($-weighted) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q1–Q4 | 830 | $10.6M | $1.2M | $9.4M | $12,000 | $128 | 8.99x |
| 2024 Q3–Q4 | 255 | $2.2M | $297,125 | $1.9M | $3,127 | $145 | 7.38x |
| 2024 Q3–2025 Q4 | 1,085 | $12.8M | $1.5M | $11.3M | $8,300 | $141 | 8.66x |
| 2023 Q1–2024 Q2 | Not available (see methodology). | ||||||
From the CMS QPA and Offers file (see above). Award ×QPA here is total awarded ÷ total QPA, so large claims weigh more than in the per-line median ratio.
By period
| Period | Line items | Win % | Median ×QPA | 25th–75th | Ratio n | Median days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q1–Q4 | 1,121 | 90.8% | 37.82x † | 14.03x–77.01x | 940 | 33 |
| 2024 Q1–Q4 | 435 | 89.7% | 24.63x † | 6.76x–40.29x | 377 | 50 |
| 2023 Q1–Q4 | Fewer than 30 determined line items; not shown. | |||||
| 2023 Q1–2025 Q4 | 1,566 | 90.4% | 30.54x † | 10.58x–58.83x | 1,325 | not pooled |
Line items = determined dispute line items (n). Win rate excludes split decisions and includes default decisions. Ratio n = line items reporting a payment-to-QPA ratio. Days are business days as reported by CMS (2023–2024: from IDR entity assignment; 2025: from initiation) and are never pooled.
By state
| State (place of service) | Line items | Win % | Median ×QPA | Ratio n | Median days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 477 | 92.2% | 40.33x † | 467 | 34 |
| New Jersey | 451 | 91.4% | 23.53x † | 312 | 35 |
| New York | 115 | 88.7% | 23.25x † | 87 | 30 |
| California | 36 | 75.0% | 54.98x † | 36 | 22 |
2025 Q1–Q4 · rows with n ≥ 30 determined line items · sorted by n.
Dollar amounts by state
| State (region) | Line items with $ | Total awarded | Median award | Median QPA | Award ×QPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | 333 | $6.6M | $20,000 | $751 | 8.15x |
| New York | 333 | $6.6M | $20,000 | $751 | 8.15x |
| Pennsylvania | 333 | $6.6M | $20,000 | $751 | 8.15x |
| Texas | 253 | $1.5M | $2,931 | $73 | 41.76x |
2025 Q1–Q4 · CMS QPA and Offers file · rows with n ≥ 30 line items with dollar amounts · sorted by n · Award ×QPA = total awarded ÷ total QPA.
By specialty
| Specialty group | Line items | Win % | Median ×QPA | Ratio n | Median days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orthopedic surgery | 587 | 91.7% | 26.63x † | 438 | 33 |
| Surgical assistant services | 434 | 91.5% | 40.33x † | 424 | 34 |
2025 Q1–Q4 · rows with n ≥ 30 determined line items · sorted by n.
Section: Surgery (10004–69990)
FAQ
What is the Federal IDR provider win rate for CPT 29881?
In 2025 Q1–Q4, the provider or facility offer was selected in 90.8% of 1,121 determined dispute line items for CPT 29881. Split decisions are excluded from the denominator and default decisions are included. Withdrawn, settled and ineligible disputes are not in the CMS data.
How do Federal IDR payments compare with the QPA for CPT 29881?
In 2025 Q1–Q4, the median prevailing offer was 37.82x the qualifying payment amount (QPA), with a 25th to 75th percentile range of 14.03x to 77.01x (n = 940 line items). This uses the CMS field Prevailing Party Offer as % of QPA, where 1.00x equals the QPA.
How long do Federal IDR decisions take for CPT 29881?
In 2025 Q1–Q4, the median was 33 business days (n = 1,121 line items), using the CMS field Length of Time to Make Determination (from dispute initiation).