Summary & Overview
CPT 27246: Closed Treatment of Greater Trochanteric Femur Fracture
CPT code 27246 denotes a closed treatment procedure for greater trochanteric fractures of the proximal femur in which no manipulation or adjustment of the fractured bone is performed. This code captures a specific non-open, non-manipulative fracture management approach important for accurate claims submission, clinical classification, and utilization tracking across orthopedic services. Nationally, clear use of this CPT code affects payment integrity, quality measurement, and resource planning for hip and proximal femur fracture care.
Key payers discussed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. The publication provides comparative benchmarks for utilization and allowed amounts where available, highlights common billing and documentation considerations tied to closed fracture treatment, and summarizes relevant coding context for orthopedic and emergency settings. Readers will find: concise clinical context for the procedure; expected sites of service and typical care pathways; common modifiers used in practice (listed separately); and guidance on what data elements are available versus not provided in the input. Data not available in the input is noted explicitly; no additional codes or diagnoses are fabricated. The content is designed for billing managers, clinical coders, orthopedists, and policy analysts seeking a national overview of CPT code 27246 and its role in fracture care.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 27246 describes a closed treatment of a greater trochanteric fracture in the proximal femur where the fracture is not manipulated or adjusted. The procedure involves non-open, non-manipulative management of a fracture in the upper end of the femur.
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Service type: Closed fracture treatment (non-manipulative)
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Typical site of service: Hospital inpatient or outpatient orthopedic surgical setting, ambulatory surgical center, or emergency department where closed fracture treatments are provided
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is an elderly adult who presents to the emergency department after a fall onto the lateral hip with acute lateral hip pain, inability to bear weight, and focal tenderness over the greater trochanter. Initial evaluation includes hip radiographs demonstrating an isolated greater trochanteric fracture of the proximal femur without displacement requiring open reduction. The orthopedics team performs a closed treatment procedure in the operating room or procedural suite under regional or general anesthesia. The procedure involves closed management techniques (such as immobilization, percutaneous pinning without manipulation of the fracture fragments, or application of an external immobilization device) to stabilize the greater trochanteric fracture without operative manipulation or internal fixation that alters bone position. Typical peri-procedural workflow includes preoperative medical clearance, regional block or general anesthesia, procedural imaging confirmation, application of closed treatment device or percutaneous stabilization as indicated, postoperative radiographs to confirm alignment, and short observation prior to discharge to inpatient orthopedics or home with outpatient orthopedic follow-up and physical therapy arranged as indicated. Common comorbidities include osteoporosis, anticoagulation therapy, and cardiopulmonary disease that influence anesthesia and postprocedure care.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
22 | Increased procedural services | Use when work, time, or intensity substantially exceeds typical for closed treatment of greater trochanteric fracture. |