Summary & Overview
HCPCS C1741: Absorbable Metallic Anchor/Screw for Bone Fixation
HCPCS Level II code C1741 denotes an implantable absorbable metallic anchor or screw for bone fixation used in orthopedic and related surgical procedures. This device-oriented code matters nationally because it identifies a class of implantable fixation hardware that can influence surgical supply costs, device selection, and coverage policy for implants during operative care. Precise coding of implantable devices affects hospital billing line items and payer adjudication for surgical supply and implant allowances.
Key payers discussed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find an overview of clinical context for use of absorbable metallic anchors/screws, how the code is applied across hospital and ambulatory surgical settings, and the elements that typically appear in coverage and payment policies. The publication covers common coding practice and line-item considerations, plus national benchmarking themes and recent policy developments that affect implantable device coding and reimbursement.
The report helps billing managers, surgical supply coordinators, and policy analysts understand where C1741 fits in operative billing, common sites of service, and what to expect in payer coverage language. Data not available in the input is explicitly noted where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
HCPCS Level II code C1741 describes an anchor/screw for bone fixation, absorbable, metallic (implantable). This device is used as an implantable fixation anchor or screw manufactured from absorbable metallic materials designed to stabilize bone fragments or secure soft-tissue to bone during orthopedic or related surgical procedures.
Service type: Implantable orthopedic fixation device
Typical site of service: Hospital operating room, ambulatory surgery center, or outpatient surgical clinic
Data not available in the input.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 45-year-old patient presents with persistent shoulder pain and instability following a traumatic rotator cuff tear with labral avulsion. Orthopedic assessment confirms the need for arthroscopic repair with suture anchor fixation. In the operating room under general anesthesia, the surgeon performs arthroscopy of the glenohumeral joint and subacromial space, debrides torn tissue, prepares the bony footprint, and implants metallic, absorbable bone anchors/screws (C1741) to secure sutures and restore tendon-labral attachment. The typical clinical workflow includes preoperative imaging (MRI or CT), preoperative anesthesia evaluation, intraoperative arthroscopic repair with placement of the absorbable metallic anchor/screw, postoperative immobilization in a sling, and staged physical therapy focused on passive then active range-of-motion and strengthening. Usual site of service is an ambulatory surgery center or hospital outpatient surgical suite. Commonly involved clinicians include orthopedic surgeons (sports medicine or shoulder specialists), anesthesiologists, procedural nursing staff, and physical therapists.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
51 | Multiple procedures | When multiple distinct procedures are performed the same day and payment reduction rules for secondary procedures apply. |