Summary & Overview

HCPCS Level II A6444: Conforming Non-Elastic Bandage ≥5" per Yard

HCPCS Level II code A6444 covers a non-sterile, non-elastic conforming bandage (knitted or woven), width ≥5 inches, billed per yard. This supply-level code matters nationally because wide conforming bandages are commonly used across ambulatory and home-health settings for wound management, post-operative care, and limb support, creating frequent small-dollar supply claims that affect utilization and billing compliance. Key payers in national analyses include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare.

Readers will learn the clinical context and typical sites of service for A6444, an overview of payer coverage patterns, common billing considerations, and benchmarking approaches for this supply code. The publication summarizes how this HCPCS Level II code is applied in wound care and outpatient settings, highlights common modifiers and claim handling practices, and outlines where policy updates or coverage nuances are most likely to affect reimbursement and utilization. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable.

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Billing Code Overview

HCPCS Level II code A6444 describes a conforming bandage, non-elastic, knitted/woven, non-sterile, width greater than or equal to 5 inches, billed per yard. This supply is used for wound care, dressings, and support when a wide, non-elastic bandage is indicated.

Service type: Medical supply — wound care/dressing material

Typical site of service: Outpatient clinics, physician offices, wound care centers, home health settings, and hospital outpatient departments

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A typical patient scenario involves an adult with a venous insufficiency or lymphedema-related lower extremity edema being fitted with a non-elastic conforming bandage for sustained compression. The patient presents to an outpatient vascular clinic or wound care center with unilateral or bilateral lower leg swelling and/or a healing venous ulcer. The clinician (vascular surgeon, wound care nurse, or certified lymphedema therapist) measures the limb and cuts the A6444 conforming non-elastic knitted/woven bandage (width ≥5 inches) to length by the yard. The bandage is applied as part of a multilayer compression system or as a secondary layer over padding to maintain consistent compression and protect fragile skin.

Typical clinical workflow:

Initial assessment: history, physical exam, and wound assessment for ulcers or edema.
Measurement and selection: provider determines need for non-elastic conforming bandage and documents size (width ≥5 inches) and quantity (yards used).
Application: trained clinician or therapist applies padding and then the A6444 bandage to achieve therapeutic compression; patient education on care and follow-up provided.
Documentation: medical record includes indication (e.g., venous stasis, lymphedema), exact product code A6444, quantity in yards, date of service, provider taxonomy, and any relevant modifiers for billing.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`00`	Default/No modifier	When no specific modifier applies; rarely appended intentionally.
`11`	Professional component	When billing a distinct professional component for a related service (rare for supply-only HCPCS).
`22`	Increased procedural services	When additional work beyond usual is documented (e.g., extensive dressing change with complex application).
`26`	Professional component	Use only if a professional interpretation/component is billed along with a related procedure.
`52`	Reduced services	When less than full supply/unit is furnished or documented (e.g., partial yard used billed accordingly).
`53`	Discontinued procedure	If supply provision was initiated but discontinued prior to completion.
`62`	Two surgeons	If two qualified practitioners jointly perform components of a complex wound procedure that includes application of bandaging.
`78`	Unplanned return to the OR by same physician	Use when return to OR necessitates additional supplies including `A6444`.
`80`	Assistant surgeon	When an assistant surgeon is billed for a related operative procedure where this supply was used.
`82`	Assistant (when qualified resident surgeon not available)	Similar to `80` in settings without resident coverage.
`A4`	Item furnished in accordance with a local coverage determination (LCD)	When local policy requires this modifier for supply coverage compliance.
`NU`	New equipment	Applied if the product is new and not refurbished (applicable to certain durable medical equipment supplies).
`KX`	Requirements specified in the medical policy have been met	When documentation meets payer-specific medical necessity criteria for the supply.
`RR`	Recovery room services	When the supply is used and separately billed as part of immediate postoperative recovery care.

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
`171K00000X`	Vascular Surgery	Frequently manages venous disease requiring compression supplies.
`274S00000X`	Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine	Wound care clinicians and specialists who apply multilayer compression.
`3336C0002X`	Physical Therapist	Certified lymphedema therapists and physical therapists who apply compression bandaging.
`261QR0400X`	General Practice/Family Medicine	Primary care providers managing chronic venous insufficiency and ordering supplies.
`180200000X`	Nursing, Registered Nurse	Wound care nurses who perform measurement and application of compression bandages.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`I83.10`	Varicose veins of lower extremities with ulcer, unspecified site	Compression bandaging is standard therapy for venous stasis ulcers.
`I89.0`	Lymphedema, not elsewhere classified	Non-elastic conforming bandages are used in lymphedema management to reduce edema.
`I87.2`	Venous insufficiency (chronic) (peripheral)	Chronic venous insufficiency frequently requires compression therapy including non-elastic bandages.
`L97.909`	Non-pressure chronic ulcer of unspecified part of lower leg, unspecified severity	Used when ulcers of the lower leg are present and compression is part of treatment.
`T81.4XXA`	Infection following a procedure, initial encounter	May be a complication requiring wound care and appropriate bandaging during management.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`29580`	Application of multi-layer compression system; lower extremity	Often performed in the same visit; `A6444` may be one component (non-elastic conforming bandage) of the multilayer system.
`97602`	Removal of devitalized tissue from wound(s) by high pressure waterjet, without anesthesia (debridement limited)	May precede application of compression bandaging for wound bed preparation.
`29581`	Application of multi-layer compression system; lower extremity, for chronic venous insufficiency, with ulcer	Commonly paired with `A6444` when managing venous ulcers requiring multilayer compression.
`97002`	Application of a modality to one or more areas; each 15 minutes (e.g., wound care) — evaluation and training services	Physical therapy or lymphedema management sessions that include bandage application training.
`97597`	Debridement (eg, high-pressure water jet, sharp) selective debridement, open wound, complicated	Performed before dressing and compression application in complex wounds.