Summary & Overview
HCPCS L5976: All Lower Extremity Energy-Storing Prosthetic Foot
HCPCS Level II code L5976 designates an energy-storing lower extremity prosthetic foot (Seattle Carbon Copy II or equivalent). This code is used for the provision, fitting, and supply of a specialized prosthetic foot component that assists ambulation by capturing and returning energy during gait. Nationally, such devices are important for mobility restoration, functional improvement, and participation in activities for people with lower-limb amputations.
Key payers in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a compact overview of coverage and billing context, typical sites of service, and common modifiers associated with prosthetic device claims. The publication highlights clinical context for use of energy-storing prosthetic feet and summarizes what stakeholders can expect in terms of claim submission elements and payer engagement. It also identifies where input data was not provided (for example, associated taxonomies, ICD-10 pairings, and related codes) and directs readers to seek payer-specific policy language for eligibility, documentation, and prior authorization requirements.
This summary is aimed at clinicians, billing professionals, and administrators seeking a national-level briefing on the purpose and billing context of L5976 without jurisdictional specifics.
Billing Code Overview
HCPCS Level II code L5976 describes all lower extremity prostheses, energy storing foot (Seattle Carbon Copy II or equal). This code represents a prefabricated or modular prosthetic foot designed to store and release energy during gait, intended for use as a lower-limb prosthesis component.
Service Type: Prosthetic device — lower extremity energy-storing foot
Typical Site of Service: Outpatient prosthetics clinic, orthotics and prosthetics (O&P) provider office, specialty prosthetics supplier, or other ambulatory care settings where prosthetic devices are evaluated, fitted, and dispensed.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 48-year-old recreational runner with a transtibial amputation presents to a prosthetics and orthotics clinic for fitting of a dynamic energy-storing prosthetic foot. The patient ambulates independently but reports increased fatigue and decreased push-off power on uneven terrain with their current SACH-style foot. A prosthetist performs a gait analysis, socket fit check, and alignment evaluation, then recommends an energy-storing carbon fiber foot (Seattle LightFoot/Seattle Carbon Copy II or equivalent) to improve energy return and participation in community ambulation.
The clinical workflow includes: initial prosthetic evaluation by a certified prosthetist, functional mobility and K-level assessment, measurement and casting or digital scan of the residual limb, selection and ordering of the L5976 foot with appropriate build specifications, delivery appointment with dynamic alignment and patient education, and follow-up visits for minor adjustments and documentation of functional gains. Typical site of service is an outpatient prosthetics clinic or orthotics/prosthetics specialty center; occasional fittings may occur in a hospital-based prosthetics department or inpatient rehabilitation unit for recent amputees.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
LT | Left side | Use when the prosthetic foot is for the left lower extremity |