Find policies, billing codes, payers, states, and providers
CPT 29740: Cast Wedging for Long Bone Fracture Realignment
CPT code 29740 covers cast wedging, a nonoperative procedure used to realign long bone fractures (for example, lower leg fractures) by inserting wedges into an existing cast to apply corrective pressure. Nationally, this code represents a conservative, noninvasive fracture-management option that can reduce the need for surgical intervention and influence utilization patterns across outpatient and emergency settings. Key payers included in the analysis are Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare.
Readers will find a concise overview of the clinical context for cast wedging, typical sites of service, and how 29740 is used in practice. The publication summarizes payer coverage considerations and common billing relationships for this service, highlights relevant clinical scenarios where cast wedging is applicable, and lists related procedural codes for coding context. The content is intended to inform billing professionals, orthopaedic clinicians, and revenue-cycle teams about the role of cast wedging in fracture care and where it fits in nonoperative management pathways.
Customize your policy alerts
Sign up for cpt 29740 policy alerts
Get alerted when payer policies referencing 29740 are released or updated.
Monitor payer policy activity
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 29740 describes cast wedging to correct alignment of a long bone fracture. The procedure realigns a previously immobilized fracture by inserting wedges into an existing cast to apply targeted pressure and achieve reduction without making a surgical incision.
Service type: Non‑operative fracture management — cast modification (cast wedging)
Typical site of service: Outpatient clinic, emergency department, or ambulatory surgical center where casting adjustments are performed
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.