Summary & Overview

HCPCS A8005: Powered Grip Assist Glove, Hand and Fingers

HCPCS Level II code A8005 identifies a custom-fitted, powered, cable-driven grip assist glove for the hand and fingers that includes a microprocessor, pressure sensors, and all necessary components and accessories. This classification covers durable medical equipment designed to restore or support grasp and fine motor function for patients with neurologic or musculoskeletal deficits. Nationally, the code matters because it governs coverage determinations, supplier billing, and clinical access to advanced upper-extremity assistive devices used in rehabilitation and home-based care.

Key payers considered in this overview include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise explanation of what A8005 represents, the primary service setting (outpatient rehabilitation clinics, prosthetics/orthotics facilities, inpatient rehab, and home use), and the clinical context for device use. The publication also summarizes payer coverage patterns and benchmarks where available, highlights policy updates affecting durable medical equipment reimbursement, and outlines coding and billing considerations relevant to suppliers and rehabilitation providers.

Data not available in the input for specific modifiers, associated taxonomies, ICD-10 diagnoses, related codes, and detailed service line entries.

AetnaBlue Cross Blue ShieldCigna HealthUnitedHealthcareMedicareA8005HCPCS Level IIdurable medical equipmentassistive technologyupper extremitygrip assistrehabilitationcustom fitted

Billing Code Overview

HCPCS Level II code A8005 describes a powered, cable driven grip assist glove for the hand and fingers. The device includes a microprocessor, pressure sensors, all components and accessories, and is custom fitted to the patient. The primary service type is durable medical equipment / assistive technology for upper extremity motor assistance, intended to augment or restore hand and finger grasp function.

Typical sites of service include outpatient rehabilitation clinics, prosthetics and orthotics facilities, inpatient rehabilitation units, and home use after fitting and training. The device is provided as a custom-fitted therapeutic assistive device designed to support activities of daily living and rehabilitation goals.

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A 68-year-old stroke survivor with left-sided hemiparesis and significant hand weakness is evaluated in an outpatient rehabilitation clinic for improved hand function and independence with activities of daily living (dressing, feeding, toileting). The physiatrist and occupational therapist assess persistent impaired grasp, intrinsic muscle weakness, and reduced finger extension despite prior conventional therapy. After multidisciplinary evaluation, a powered, cable-driven grip assist glove (A8005) is prescribed and custom fitted to augment grip and enable functional practice.

The clinical workflow includes: an initial comprehensive assessment by the rehabilitation physician and occupational therapist, baseline functional and impairment measurements (e.g., grip strength, Fugl-Meyer upper extremity or similar), device selection and ordering documentation, custom fitting and device programming by the vendor or therapist, patient training sessions for donning/doffing and device use, iterative adjustments, and scheduled follow-up visits for outcome assessment and device maintenance planning. Durable medical equipment documentation includes medical necessity, trial or demonstration details, objective functional deficits, expected benefit, and records of custom fitting and device components.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`KA`	Left hand	Use when the device is furnished for the left hand to specify laterality on claims that accept alpha modifiers; check payer-specific modifier requirements.

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
`261QU0200X`	Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician	Typical physician overseeing device prescription and medical necessity documentation.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`I69.351`	Hemiplegia and hemiparesis following cerebral infarction affecting right dominant side	Used for stroke survivors with persistent hand weakness requiring assistive powered glove to restore grasp function.

G82.20 | Paraplegia, unspecified | May be relevant when upper limb impairment includes hand weakness in broader neurological diagnoses affecting function.

G83.4 | Cauda equina syndrome | Relevant when lower motor neuron lesions produce hand weakness or when custom upper-extremity orthoses are indicated as part of neurologic rehabilitation.

M62.81 | Muscle weakness (generalized) | Used when documented focal or generalized muscle weakness contributes to impaired grip requiring assistive device.

M19.9 | Osteoarthritis, unspecified | Relevant when pain and joint degeneration contribute to impaired hand function and a powered assist glove is used to augment grip.

G12.21 | Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis | Relevant for progressive neuromuscular diseases where powered assistive devices are used to maintain function.

G35 | Multiple sclerosis | Used when demyelinating disease causes hand weakness and fatigue; powered assist devices can support repetitive tasks.

S54.012A | Strain of muscle, fascia and tendon of the flexor muscle of right forearm, initial encounter | Relevant for acute-on-chronic tendon or muscle injuries that impair gripping and may benefit from temporary assistive glove.

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