Summary & Overview

HCPCS Level II E2217: Manual Wheelchair Foam-Filled Caster Tire, Each

HCPCS Level II code E2217 represents a foam-filled caster tire for manual wheelchairs, billed per tire. This accessory is a routine durable medical equipment (DME) supply used to maintain mobility devices and ensure safe wheelchair operation. Nationally, such component-level codes matter because they affect access to timely repairs and replacements, influence DME supplier billing practices, and contribute to overall mobility device maintenance costs. Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will learn what E2217 denotes in clinical and billing terms, typical sites where the item is provided, and which payers are commonly involved. The publication provides benchmarks where available, notes on policy and coverage considerations, and the clinical context for why foam-filled caster tires are used (reduced flats, lower maintenance compared with pneumatic tires). Data not available in the input is identified where applicable, including specific coverage policies, reimbursement rates, and associated ICD-10 diagnoses. This summary equips billing managers, DME suppliers, and policy analysts with a concise reference describing the code, its service type, and likely sites of service, while pointing to payer coverage as a focus for further review.

AetnaBlue Cross Blue ShieldCigna HealthUnitedHealthcareMedicareE2217HCPCS Level IIdurable medical equipmentwheelchair accessorycaster tireDME suppliesmobility devicesreplacement parts

Billing Code Overview

HCPCS Level II code E2217 describes a manual wheelchair accessory — a foam filled caster tire, any size, each. This item is a replacement or ancillary component intended for manual wheelchairs and is typically supplied as a single caster tire per service line.

Service type: Durable medical equipment accessory

Typical site of service: Durable medical equipment suppliers, outpatient medical equipment shops, and patient residences when delivered as part of home durable medical equipment servicing

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A patient who uses a manually propelled wheelchair presents to a durable medical equipment (DME) supplier or wheelchair repair clinic for routine maintenance or part replacement after noting progressive wobble or wear on a front caster. The clinician or certified rehabilitation technician inspects the wheelchair, identifies a damaged or worn foam-filled caster tire, documents the wheelchair make/model and the part needing replacement, and orders a single replacement tire under billing code E2217 (Manual wheelchair accessory, foam filled caster tire, any size, each). Typical workflow includes verification of medical necessity (patient mobility limitations such as impaired gait or balance), confirmation of payer coverage and prior authorization if required, procurement of the correct tire size, replacement by a trained technician, and documentation of the item, date of service, serial numbers, and functionality testing. Typical site of service is a DME supplier, outpatient rehabilitation clinic, or the patient’s home when on-site repair is provided. Common patient scenarios include wear from long-term use, damage from uneven terrain, or replacement as part of scheduled maintenance to ensure safe mobility and prevent falls or increased caregiver burden.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`00`	No modifier	Use when no specific modifier applies to the service.
`22`	Increased procedural services	Use when repair/replacement requires substantially greater work than usual (extensive fabrication or special handling).
`52`	Reduced services	Use when only partial repair or partial replacement was performed.
`53`	Discontinued procedure	Use if service was started but discontinued due to patient condition or safety concerns.
`62`	Two surgeons	Use when two qualified technicians/providers are required for complex reversible assembly or safety-critical replacement.
`78`	Return to operating/procedure room for same service	Use when patient returns for repeat repair of same wheelchair component during a related episode.
`80`	Assistant at surgery	Use when an assistant technician is documented as assisting the primary technician during replacement.
`82`	Assistant not required (rare)	Use when a qualified assistant is used but documenting that a usual assistant was not available.
`LL`	Left side	Use if caster tire specifically identified as left side and payer requires laterality reporting.
`RR`	Right side	Use if caster tire specifically identified as right side and payer requires laterality reporting.
`QK`	Medical direction of two or more assistants	Use in complex repairs requiring medical direction and multiple assistants.
`QX`	CRNA service furnished under physician supervision	Rarely applicable; use only if an anesthesia professional is involved during complex patient transfer for repair.
`SH`	Speech-language pathology service modifier	Not applicable clinically to this DME code; included only when paired services are billed by same visit.
`UE`	Left upper extremity prosthetic/orthotic modifier	Use only if payer requires limb side linkage for associated orthotic/prosthetic services.

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
`221N00000X`	Durable Medical Equipment Supplier	Primary provider type that dispenses and fits wheelchair accessories.
`3336C0003X`	Mobility and Rehabilitation Equipment Supplier	Specialty focusing on wheelchair repairs and mobility device maintenance.
`213E00000X`	Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (Physiatry)	Clinicians who may order or document medical necessity for the accessory.
`2084P0800X`	Occupational Therapist	May assess wheelchair seating and recommend wheel/caster replacement for safety and function.
`2083A0400X`	Physical Therapist	May assess mobility needs and recommend maintenance or replacement of wheelchair components.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`M62.81`	Muscle wasting and atrophy, not elsewhere classified	Mobility impairment leading to wheelchair dependence and need for maintenance of wheelchair components.
`G82.20`	Paraplegia, unspecified	Long-term wheelchair use requiring periodic caster replacement due to wear.
`G81.90`	Hemiplegia, unspecified affecting unspecified side	Use of a manual wheelchair with asymmetric wear on casters; replacement needed for safe mobility.
`M48.06`	Spinal stenosis, lumbar region	Pain and neurogenic claudication leading to reliance on wheelchair for ambulation.
`R26.2`	Difficulty in walking, not elsewhere classified	Mobility limitation prompting use of manual wheelchair and accessory replacement as part of maintenance.
`Z99.3`	Dependence on wheelchair	Directly describes patients dependent on a wheelchair who require accessory replacement to maintain function.
`M54.5`	Low back pain	Chronic back pain may necessitate wheelchair use and ongoing equipment maintenance.
`S72.001A`	Fracture of unspecified part of neck of right femur, initial encounter for closed fracture	Acute lower extremity injury resulting in temporary wheelchair use and accessory replacement during recovery.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`97530`	Therapeutic activities, direct (one-on-one) patient contact by the provider, each 15 minutes	Performed when a therapist trains the patient in safe transfers or propulsion after caster replacement.
`97760`	Orthotic(s) management and training, upper extremity, lower extremity, and/or trunk; initial encounter, each 15 minutes	Used when wheelchair accessory replacement is part of an orthotic/prosthetic management visit and patient training is provided.
`99070`	Supplies and materials (except spectacles), provided by the physician over and above those usually included with the office visit	Used to represent in-office supplies or small accessories when billed by a provider; may be used by clinics when payer allows.
`99080`	Special reports such as insurance forms, not otherwise classified	Used when documentation or special forms are completed for prior authorization or claims related to the replacement.
`99354`	Prolonged service in the office or other outpatient setting requiring direct patient contact beyond the usual service; first hour	Used if a prolonged on-site repair visit includes extended hands-on service and assessment beyond standard time.