Find policies, billing codes, payers, states, and providers
CPT 29240: Shoulder Strapping with Elastic Adhesive Tape
CPT code 29240 denotes the application of elastic adhesive tape to the shoulder to immobilize or stabilize the joint and limit abnormal motion. This procedure addresses acute shoulder conditions such as dislocations, sprains, muscle strains, and selected fractures; it is a common, low-resource intervention in outpatient, urgent care, and emergency settings. Nationally, accurate reporting of 29240 matters for correct clinical documentation, resource tracking, and appropriate coverage determinations for short-term immobilization and functional support.
Key payers in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, United Healthcare, and Medicare. The publication outlines payer coverage patterns and coding guidance relevant to these major payers, and explains clinical contexts in which 29240 is typically used.
Readers will find: concise benchmarks for utilization and billing frequency for shoulder strapping procedures; clinical context describing indications and typical sites of service; and coding guidance to support consistent documentation. The content targets clinicians, billing staff, and policy analysts who need a clear, nationally applicable reference on when and how CPT code 29240 is reported and the clinical situations it represents.
Customize your policy alerts
Sign up for cpt 29240 policy alerts
Get alerted when payer policies referencing 29240 are released or updated.
Monitor payer policy activity
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 29240 describes the application of elastic adhesive tape (strapping) to the shoulder to hold the joint and surrounding muscles in a fixed position and limit excessive or abnormal movements. Strapping is used to treat muscle strains, dislocations, sprains, and certain fractures of the shoulder.
Service type: Strapping/External Support Application
Typical site of service: Outpatient clinic, emergency department, urgent care, or rehabilitative therapy setting
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.