CPT 29740: Cast Wedging for Long Bone Fracture
Medicare pays $113 and commercial payers pay $174 on average nationally for this procedure.
CPT code 29740 describes cast wedging, a closed, non‑operative procedure in which wedges are inserted into an existing cast to apply targeted pressure and correct alignment of a long bone fracture (commonly lower leg fractures); service type: cast modification/closed fracture realignment; typical site of service: ambulatory clinic, emergency department, or outpatient orthopaedic clinic where cast management and fracture care are provided.
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
Commercial averages sit above Medicare for CPT 29740: Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Aetna, UnitedHealth Group and BUCA have higher mean rates than Medicare’s mean of $112.7, with BUCA’s mean at $174.3 standing notably above Medicare. This positions Medicare near the lower-middle of the national mean distribution while BUCA aligns with the upper commercial tier.
Dispersion varies by payer. Blue Cross Blue Shield and UnitedHealth Group show the widest interquartile spreads (P75−P25 of $91.8 and $97.7 respectively), indicating substantial variability in contracted rates, while Aetna and Cigna are tighter (spreads of $60.8 and $88.8 respectively), with Aetna the most compressed. BUCA’s interquartile spread is $87.0 and Medicare’s IQR is $11, making Medicare the tightest payer by P75−P25 and UnitedHealth Group the widest.