Summary & Overview
HCPCS L3400: Metatarsal Bar Wedge, Rocker
HCPCS Level II code L3400 denotes a metatarsal bar wedge with a rocker design, an orthotic accessory intended to redistribute forefoot pressures and improve gait mechanics. This code is used in billing for durable medical equipment and orthotic services nationally and matters for clinical teams and payers because it affects coverage decisions, coding accuracy, and cost management for patients with forefoot pain or biomechanical gait issues. Key payers in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of what L3400 represents, the typical clinical applications and sites of service, and the payer landscape relevant to this device. The publication highlights benchmark considerations, common billing practices, and policy implications affecting coverage and documentation. It also provides clinical context for when a metatarsal bar wedge, rocker, may be applied and the types of providers and suppliers who commonly bill this code. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
HCPCS Level II code L3400 describes a metatarsal bar wedge, rocker. This device is an orthotic adjunct designed to offload pressure across the forefoot by providing a raised bar or wedge across the metatarsal heads with a rocker profile to facilitate roll-through during gait.
Service Type: Orthotic device / foot orthosis accessory
Typical Site of Service: Durable medical equipment supplier, outpatient orthopedic or podiatry clinic, or prosthetics/orthotics facility
Data not available in the input.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is a middle-aged adult with forefoot pain from metatarsalgia, plantar forefoot callus, or transfer pressure after prior forefoot surgery. The patient is evaluated in a podiatry or orthopedics clinic. The clinician documents history of localized plantar pain under the metatarsal heads, physical exam with focal tenderness and callus, and conservative care attempted (shoe modification, orthotics, corticosteroid injection). A custom shoe modification is ordered: a metatarsal bar wedge with rocker (L3400) to offload the metatarsal heads and improve gait. The orthotist or durable medical equipment (DME) supplier fabricates and fits the device in the clinic or at a DME facility. The workflow includes: assessment and prescription by the treating clinician, written order with L3400 and relevant diagnosis code(s), fabrication and fitting by the supplier, patient education on wear and follow-up, and documentation of device delivery and patient response.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
RT | Right side | When device is for the right foot only |
LT |