Summary & Overview

CPT 29915: Hip Arthroscopy for Acetabuloplasty (Pincer Lesion)

CPT code 29915 represents arthroscopic acetabuloplasty of the hip performed to treat a pincer lesion — a structural overcoverage of the acetabulum that contributes to femoroacetabular impingement and limits hip motion. This code captures a minimally invasive surgical reshaping of the acetabular rim to restore normal joint mechanics and reduce impingement. Nationally, billing and coverage for procedures addressing femoroacetabular impingement are important for orthopedics and musculoskeletal surgery programs due to procedure volume, variability in payer policies, and implications for post-acute care use.

Key payers referenced in the analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of clinical context and service setting, summaries of common payer coverage themes and modifiers, and benchmarking content where available. The publication also outlines typical sites of service, coding specificity, and areas where payer policy language commonly affects authorization and documentation requirements. This executive summary prepares clinicians, billers, and policy analysts to understand how CPT code 29915 is used in practice and where coverage variability most often arises.

AetnaBlue Cross Blue ShieldCigna HealthUnitedHealthcareMedicareCPT 29915hip arthroscopyacetabuloplastyfemoroacetabular impingementorthopedic surgeryambulatory surgeryprocedure codingsurgical coding

Billing Code Overview

CPT code 29915 describes arthroscopic acetabuloplasty of the hip for treatment of a pincer lesion. The procedure involves reshaping the acetabulum (the cup-shaped socket of the hip joint) to correct excessive coverage of the femoral head that causes femoroacetabular impingement and restricts hip range of motion.

Service Type: Surgical — Hip arthroscopy with acetabuloplasty

Typical Site of Service: Ambulatory surgery center or hospital outpatient surgical setting

Data not available in the input for associated taxonomies, ICD-10 diagnoses, and related codes.

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A 34-year-old active patient presents with several months of progressive groin pain, mechanical clicking, and limitation of hip flexion and internal rotation despite conservative measures (physical therapy, activity modification, and NSAIDs). Imaging with AP pelvis and hip radiographs and magnetic resonance arthrogram demonstrates a pincer-type femoroacetabular impingement with acetabular overcoverage and associated labral fraying. The orthopedic surgeon schedules an arthroscopic hip acetabuloplasty (29915) to recontour the acetabular rim and address the pincer lesion, often with concomitant labral repair or femoral osteochondroplasty if cam morphology is present.

Typical clinical workflow:

Preoperative evaluation in the orthopedic clinic with history, physical exam, and imaging review including plain radiographs and MRI/MRA.
Preauthorization and operative scheduling; informed consent obtained, documenting indications for 29915 (pincer lesion with symptomatic impingement and failed conservative care).
Operating room: general or regional anesthesia, traction applied, diagnostic arthroscopy of the hip, acetabuloplasty performed arthroscopically to reshape the acetabular margin. Concomitant procedures documented separately if performed.
Immediate postoperative recovery in PACU with standard hip arthroscopy protocols and discharge planning (same-day outpatient or short observation depending on patient comorbidities).
Postoperative follow-up with activity restrictions, physical therapy, and documentation of expected improvement in range of motion and pain.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`59`	Distinct procedural service	Use when a separate, identifiable service or procedure is performed on the same day that is not usually reported together with the primary procedure (e.g., separate arthroscopic procedure in a different compartment).
`62`	Two surgeons	Use when two surgeons work together as primary surgeons performing distinct portions of the operation.
`66`	Surgical team	Use when a surgical team performs portions of the procedure as defined by payor policy.
`78`	Return to OR for related procedure during global period	Use if patient returns to the OR for a related procedure due to a complication during the global period.
`79`	Unrelated procedure or service during global period	Use when an unrelated procedure is performed during the global period.
`22`	Increased procedural services	Use to report unusually high complexity or work with supporting documentation.
`51`	Multiple procedures	Use when additional distinct procedures are performed during the same operative session and payer requires modifier for secondary procedures.
`52`	Reduced services	Use when the procedure is partially reduced or not completed as originally planned.
`59`	Distinct procedural service	(Note: `59` is listed earlier and is commonly used; include only once in claims; consider `XS`/`XP`/`XU` alternatives if applicable.)
`AS`	Physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist services for assistant at surgery paid under institutional rules	Use when reporting services for an assistant-at-surgery under appropriate payer rules.
`LT`	Left side	Use to indicate the procedure was performed on the left hip.
`RT`	Right side	Use to indicate the procedure was performed on the right hip.
`ET`	Ear, toe, finger or other appendage (site-specific) — note: infrequently used for hip	Rarely applicable but included in list; generally not used for `29915`.

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
`207X00000X`	Orthopedic Surgery	Primary specialty performing hip arthroscopy and acetabuloplasty.
`2080S0003X`	Sports Medicine (Orthopedic)	Subspecialists focused on arthroscopy and hip preservation procedures.
`207T00000X`	Orthopedic Surgery of the Foot and Ankle (note: related surgical taxonomy)	Less common; included as a related orthopedic surgery taxonomy.
`363L00000X`	Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation	Often involved in preoperative and postoperative nonoperative management and rehabilitation.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`M24.851`	Other specific joint derangements, right hip	Pincer-type impingement can be documented here when describing a specific right hip mechanical derangement leading to arthroscopic acetabuloplasty.
`M24.852`	Other specific joint derangements, left hip	Same as above for left hip.
`M24.859`	Other specific joint derangements, unspecified hip	Use if laterality not specified or when documentation does not record side.
`M75.1`	Rotator cuff syndrome of shoulder	Data not applicable to hip; not clinically relevant to hip arthroscopy.
`M16.11`	Unilateral primary osteoarthritis, right hip	May be used if concomitant osteoarthritic changes influence surgical decision-making.
`M16.12`	Unilateral primary osteoarthritis, left hip	As above for left hip.
`S73.1XXA`	Strain of hip joint and pelvis, initial encounter	Use if acute traumatic strain contributed to symptoms; otherwise less commonly used in elective FAI arthroscopy.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`29862`	Arthroscopy, hip, surgical; with labral repair	Commonly performed with `29915` when labral tear is present and requires repair; may be reported separately if documentation supports.
`29914`	Arthroscopy, hip, surgical; with femoroplasty (treatment of cam lesion)	Performed when cam-type morphology is present in addition to a pincer lesion; often reported with acetabuloplasty when both deformities are addressed.
`29827`	Arthroscopy, shoulder, surgical; extensive debridement, etc.	Data not applicable to hip; included for cross-site arthroscopy coding awareness.
`15852`	Excision of heterotopic bone (hip), deep	Used if heterotopic ossification requires removal in the same operative setting; may be reported separately if performed.
`64450`	Injection, anesthetic agent; other peripheral nerve or branch	Regional nerve block (e.g., fascia iliaca or femoral nerve block) performed for analgesia; billed separately when performed by qualifying provider.