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CPT 29105: Upper and Lower Arm Splint Application
CPT code 29105 represents the application of a rigid or flexible splint to the upper and lower arm to immobilize an injured arm for pain control or to stabilize a fracture before surgical repair. This relatively common acute-care procedure is performed in emergency departments and orthopaedic clinics nationwide and is an important component of early fracture management and trauma care.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, United Healthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise clinical context for the code, comparisons to related short-arm and finger splinting codes, and guidance on where the service is typically provided. The publication summarizes billing considerations relevant to outpatient and emergency settings and highlights common clinical scenarios that map to this code, including shaft and distal fractures of the humerus, radius, and ulna.
The piece provides national-level benchmarks and policy context where available, explains how 29105 fits into acute orthopaedic workflows, and identifies typical sites of service. Data not available in the input are explicitly noted as such.
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Billing Code Overview
CPT code 29105 describes the application of a splint, rigid or flexible, to the upper and lower arm to immobilize an injured arm. The service is performed to reduce pain during healing or to stabilize a fracture prior to surgical repair.
Service type: Splint application / immobilization
Typical site of service: Emergency department or outpatient orthopaedic clinic, where acute fractures or traumatic arm injuries are evaluated and an initial immobilization is required prior to definitive treatment.
National Reimbursement Benchmarks
Nationally, Medicare averages $100.30 for CPT 29105 while BUCA’s mean commercial rate is notably higher at $160.70, indicating that BUCA pays about $60.40 more on average than Medicare. This gap highlights a substantial divergence between average commercial reimbursements and the federal program for this procedure.
Rate dispersion (P75 minus P25) varies materially across payers. Blue Cross Blue Shield has the widest interquartile spread at $85.00 ($249.90 - $161.40), followed by UnitedHealth Group at $73.70 ($151.20 - $76.30). Cigna shows a moderate spread of $58.40 ($129.40 - $71.00), Aetna is tighter at $55.20 ($94.30 - $39.10), and BUCA’s IQR is $77.50 ($196.40 - $118.90). Medicare’s IQR is narrow at $10.00 ($104 - $94), indicating the most compressed distribution among these payers.