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    OpenPayerBilling CodesBody and Upper Extremity Application of Strapping-Any AgeCPT cpt-29240-shoulder-strapping-elastic-adhesive-tape
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    CPT 29240: Shoulder Strapping with Elastic Adhesive Tape

    Medicare pays $30 and commercial payers pay $121 on average nationally for this procedure.

    CPT code 29240 describes application of elastic adhesive tape (strapping) to the shoulder to immobilize the joint and limit abnormal motion; the service is a therapeutic strapping/orthopedic support procedure typically performed in an outpatient clinic, orthopaedic office, or emergency department to manage shoulder strains, dislocations, sprains, and certain fractures.

    For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Medical Necessity Guidelines Non-Emergency Transportation, Non-Emergent Transportation Medical Policy, Non-Emergency Facility to Facility Transfers.

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    National Reimbursement Benchmarks

    Medicare’s mean rate centers at $29.8, which is substantially lower than the BUCA commercial average of $120.7; that gap of $90.9 highlights a meaningful split between fee schedules tied to public payers and consolidated commercial networks. Blue Cross Blue Shield and UnitedHealth Group have notably higher central tendencies (means of $180.1 and $53.0, respectively) compared with Medicare, while Aetna and Cigna cluster below many commercial peers.

    Dispersion measured by the interquartile range (P75 minus P25) is widest for Blue Cross Blue Shield at $70.1 and narrowest for Aetna at $25.5, indicating BCBS contracts vary much more across markets while Aetna’s reimbursments are relatively tight. UnitedHealth Group and Cigna show moderate dispersion ($33.5 and $35.7 respectively), and BUCA’s IQR is $30.7, positioning it between the tightest and widest payers.

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    National Payer Mean Reimbursement Rates

    State Reimbursement Rates

    State: Alaska1 / 51

    Rate by payer

    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A 45-year-old recreational athlete presents to an orthopaedic clinic after a fall onto the outstretched arm with acute right shoulder pain, visible deformity, and limited range of motion. After clinical evaluation and radiographs confirm an unspecified dislocation of the right shoulder (S43.001A) without fracture, the orthopaedic surgeon reduces the joint. Following reduction, the provider applies elastic adhesive strapping to the shoulder to immobilize the joint, support periarticular soft tissues, limit excessive movement, and reduce pain while soft tissue healing and formal immobilization are arranged.

    The clinical workflow: initial triage and focused history/physical exam; plain radiographs to exclude fracture; closed reduction if indicated; post-reduction neurovascular check and repeat imaging; application of shoulder elastic adhesive strapping (29240) to provide temporary stabilization; documentation of reduction, neurovascular status, materials used, and patient instructions for activity and follow-up; referral to physical therapy or orthopaedic trauma follow-up as appropriate. Typical sites of service include emergency department, urgent care, orthopaedic clinic, and ambulatory surgery center when performed as part of outpatient management.

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure
    29200

    Related Modifiers

    8 rows

    ModifierDescriptionWhen to Use
    59Modifier 59 indicates a distinct procedural service when two procedures that are not normally billed together are clinically and procedurally separate. The CPT definition (as reiterated by CMS)…- Use modifier -59 to report a distinct procedural service when documentation supports that the procedure reported is not normally billed together with another service on the same day because of a…
    52Modifier ‑52 (Reduced Services) indicates that a service or procedure was partially reduced or omitted at the provider’s discretion, allowing reporting of the basic procedure number with a qualifier…- Use modifier -52 when a physician or qualified health professional electively reduces or omits part of a procedure or service (for example, performing fewer required views or omitting a portion of…
    53Modifier 53 (Discontinued Procedure) signals that a surgical or diagnostic service was begun by the physician but terminated because of extenuating circumstances that threatened the patient’s…- Use modifier -53 when a physician/qualified healthcare professional has started a surgical or diagnostic procedure (e.g., anesthesia administered, incision or scope insertion) and then discontinues…
    22Modifier –22 (Increased Procedural Services) is used when a reported procedure is substantially more extensive than normally required. The CPT Manual and CMS state it may be appended only when the…- When to use: Append modifier -22 to a procedural CPT code when the service performed is substantially more extensive than the usual service described by that code — i.e., the procedure required…
    25CPT modifier 25 indicates that on the same day as another procedure or service, the same physician or other qualified health care professional provided a significant, separately identifiable…- When to apply: Use modifier 25 only on an E/M code to indicate the same provider delivered a significant, separately identifiable E/M service on the same day as another procedure or service — i.e.,…
    76Modifier -76, Repeat Procedure or Service by Same Physician or Other Qualified Health Care Professional, is appended when the same provider performs an identical, medically necessary procedure or…- Use modifier -76 when the same physician or other qualified health care professional performs an identical procedure or service a second (or subsequent) time on the same date of service and the…
    77Modifier 77 indicates that a previously performed procedure or service was legitimately repeated by a different physician or other qualified health care professional. The AMA’s CPT definition…- Use modifier 77 when a basic procedure or service already performed is repeated by a different physician or other qualified health care professional (for example, a second provider independently…
    91Modifier 91 — “Repeat Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory Test” — is appended when the exact same CPT laboratory test is performed more than once for the same patient on the same day because serial,…- Use modifier 91 when the exact same CPT laboratory test is performed more than once on the same patient on the same date because serial or repeated testing is medically necessary to monitor…

    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy Code
    207X00000X
    207XX0004X
    225100000X
    2471Q0001X
    163WR0006X
    364ST0500X
    2085N0700X
    261QM3000X

    Related ICD-10-CM Codes

    5 rows

    ICD-10-CM CodeDescription
    S43.001AUnspecified subluxation of right shoulder joint, initial encounter
    S43.002AUnspecified subluxation of left shoulder joint, initial encounter
    S43.401AUnspecified sprain of right shoulder joint, initial encounter
    M75.100Unspecified rotator cuff tear or rupture of unspecified shoulder, not specified as traumatic
    M75.101Unspecified rotator cuff tear or rupture of right shoulder, not specified as traumatic

    Related Payer Policy Updates

    Specialty: Emergency & Medical Transportation1 / 3

    10 rows

    PolicyPayerEffective Date
    Medical Necessity Guidelines Non-Emergency TransportationMass General Brigham Health Plan2026-11-01
    Non-Emergent Transportation Medical PolicyHealth-New-England2026-11-01
    Non-Emergency Facility to Facility Transfershap_caresource_mi_coordinated_health2026-11-01
    Ambulance and Medical Transport Services (Ground, Air and Water) Corporate Medical Policybcbsvermont2026-10-01
    Emergency Air/Water Ambulance Services Medical GuidelineWPS Health Insurance2026-10-01
    Non-Emergent Ambulance ServicesConnectiCare2026-09-11
    Fixed Wing Air Ambulance TransportCigna2026-08-15
    Air AmbulanceAmbetter Georgia2026-08-01
    Ambulance Services (for New Mexico Only)UnitedHealthcare2026-08-01
    Ambulance Services (for Tennessee Only)UnitedHealthcare2026-08-01

    Related Codes

    CPT-29200-THORAX-STRAPPING-ELASTIC-ADHESIVE-TAPE

    CPT 29200: Thorax (Chest) Strapping with Elastic Adhesive Tape

    CPT-29260-ELASTIC-ADHESIVE-TAPE-ELBOW-WRIST-STRAPPING

    CPT 29260: Elastic Adhesive Tape Strapping of Elbow or Wrist

    CPT-29280-ELASTIC-TAPING-HAND-FINGER-STRAPPING

    CPT 29280: Elastic Adhesive Tape Application to Hand or Finger

    Frequently Asked Questions

    References

    1. 1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
    2. 2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
    3. 3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.
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    Trek Health ingests and normalizes Transparency in Coverage data and payer policy updates to give provider organizations a clear view of how commercial reimbursement behaves across markets, payers, and services. Our platform transforms raw payer disclosures into structured intelligence that supports contract evaluation, payer negotiations, and service line strategy. By combining market benchmarks with ongoing policy visibility, Trek helps teams identify variability, risk, and opportunity in commercial reimbursement. The result is faster insight, stronger negotiating positions, and more informed financial decisions.

    Strapping of chest
    Similar strapping technique applied to thoracic/chest region; analogous code for chest immobilization when chest wall support is required
    29260Strapping of elbow or wristParallel strapping code for upper-extremity joints; used when additional upper limb joints require support in the same encounter
    29280Strapping of hand or fingerRelated code for distal upper-extremity strapping; may be billed when hand/finger strapping is performed alongside shoulder management