Summary & Overview

CPT 27275: Hip Manipulation Under Anesthesia

CPT code 27275 denotes manipulation of the hip joint under anesthesia, a procedural intervention intended to break up fibrous or scar tissue, reduce pain, and restore range of motion. This code is relevant nationally for orthopedic and rehabilitation practices that manage hip stiffness and post-surgical or post-injury contractures where conservative measures have not sufficed. Its use can impact procedural utilization patterns, facility scheduling, and anesthesia resources.

Key payers in the analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find an overview of the clinical context for CPT code 27275, where it is typically performed, and which settings generate claims. The publication outlines common modifiers associated with procedural billing (listed in the metadata), typical sites of service, and the role of anesthesia in supporting the manipulation procedure.

The report provides national benchmarks for utilization and payer coverage patterns where available, summarizes relevant policy or billing considerations for payers and facilities, and places the procedure within clinical care pathways for hip contracture and stiffness management. Data limitations are noted where specific payer policies or diagnosis pairings are not provided. The content is intended to inform billing, coding, and policy stakeholders about the procedural definition, service context, and payer landscape for CPT code 27275.

AetnaBlue Cross Blue ShieldCigna HealthUnitedHealthcareMedicareCPT 27275hip manipulationmanipulation under anesthesiaorthopedicsprocedural billinganesthesia-related procedureambulatory surgeryrehabilitation

Billing Code Overview

CPT code 27275 describes manipulation of the hip joint under anesthesia, a procedure in which the provider performs passive movement and stretching of the hip to break up fibrous or scar tissue, relieve pain, and improve range of motion. The service typically involves use of general or regional anesthesia to allow adequate manipulation without patient discomfort.

Service type: Procedure — Manipulation under Anesthesia (MUA)

Typical site of service: Operating room or procedure suite; may also occur in ambulatory surgical centers

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A typical patient is an adult with post-traumatic or post-surgical hip stiffness and pain that has not improved with conservative therapy (physical therapy, oral analgesics, intra-articular injections). The patient experiences limited hip range of motion, difficulty with activities of daily living such as dressing and ambulation, and persistent pain localized to the hip girdle. After clinical evaluation and imaging to exclude fracture, unstable hardware, or infection, the orthopedic surgeon schedules manipulation of the hip under anesthesia (27275) in an operating room or ambulatory surgery center.

The clinical workflow includes preoperative assessment and informed consent, regional or general anesthesia, muscle relaxation, and controlled passive manipulation and stretching of the hip joint to break adhesions and scar tissue. Intraoperative documentation should record anesthesia type, extent and direction of manipulation, achieved range of motion, any adjunct procedures, and immediate postoperative neurovascular and skin checks. Post-procedure care includes analgesia, physical therapy initiation the same day or next day, and follow-up to monitor range of motion and pain.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`11`	Usually performed by this provider as the routine service.	When the provider reporting the code is the usual performing surgeon and no unusual circumstances apply.

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
207X00000X	Orthopaedic Surgery	Primary specialty performing hip manipulation under anesthesia.
207M00000X	Sports Medicine (Orthopaedic)	Often performs manipulation for post-injury stiffness and adhesive capsulitis of the hip.
208800000X	Anesthesiology	Provides general or regional anesthesia and documents anesthetic management.
261QE0800X	Physical Therapy	Provides immediate postoperative mobilization and rehabilitation, may be involved in ambulatory settings.
2086S0102X	Pain Medicine	May be involved when manipulation is performed for severe pain management and coordination of perioperative analgesia.

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`27050`	Arthrotomy, hip; with exploration, drainage or removal of loose body.	May be performed before or instead of manipulation if intra-articular pathology or loose bodies are identified that require arthrotomy.
`27370`	Open treatment of femoral neck fracture, with or without internal fixation.	Related when manipulation is performed after fracture care to address stiffness or contracture in the postoperative period.
`27096`	Injection, anesthetic agent and/or steroid, hip joint, with image guidance.	Often used preoperatively for diagnostic or therapeutic relief prior to deciding on manipulation; may be performed in clinic or OR with imaging.
`20610`	Arthrocentesis, aspiration and/or injection; major joint or bursa (e.g., hip).	Diagnostic or therapeutic joint aspiration/injection performed before manipulation to exclude infection or provide pain relief.
`29860`	Arthroscopy, hip, diagnostic, with or without synovial biopsy.	Arthroscopy may be performed before or after manipulation to address intra-articular pathology not resolved by manipulation alone.

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