Summary & Overview
HCPCS Q4006: Long Arm Fiberglass Cast Supply, Adult
HCPCS Level II code Q4006 identifies long arm fiberglass cast supplies for adults (age 11+). This supply code is used when a clinician or facility provides the materials necessary to fabricate a long arm cast for immobilization of the forearm and elbow. Nationally, supply codes like Q4006 matter because they clarify billing for non-physician materials distinct from professional application or casting services, affecting claims processing, coverage determination, and bundled payment arrangements.
Key payers in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of clinical context for long arm casts, typical sites of service where these supplies are provided, and the role of this HCPCS Level II supply code in billing workflows. The publication also summarizes common modifiers and payer considerations where available, and highlights what benchmarks and policy updates would typically be relevant to facilities and billing teams.
Data not available in the input for associated taxonomies, specific ICD-10 pairings, detailed payer policy variations, and service-line revenue reporting. The content focuses on national applicability and operational clarity for coders, billing managers, and orthopedic service line administrators.
Billing Code Overview
HCPCS Level II code Q4006 describes cast supplies, long arm cast, adult (11 years +), fiberglass. The service represents provision of materials used to construct a long arm fiberglass cast for patients aged 11 years and older.
Service Type: Orthopedic immobilization supply
Typical Site of Service: Outpatient clinic or hospital outpatient department (orthopedics, urgent care, emergency department)
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
An adult patient (age ≥ 11 years) presents to an orthopedic clinic or urgent care after an acute forearm or elbow injury with pain, deformity, or radiographic evidence of a distal radius/ulna or forearm fracture. A treating orthopedic surgeon, emergency physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice nurse evaluates the patient, obtains focused history and physical exam, and orders immobilization. After appropriate radiographs and any necessary reduction, the provider applies a long arm fiberglass cast using supplies billed under Q4006. Typical workflow: triage → clinical evaluation → radiography → closed reduction if indicated → interim soft dressing or splinting → definitive long arm fiberglass cast application in procedure area or casting room → post-application neurovascular check and discharge instructions. Typical sites of service are outpatient orthopedic clinics, urgent care centers, emergency departments, and ambulatory surgery or procedure rooms when performed as part of fracture management or postoperative immobilization.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
LT | Left side | When the long arm cast is applied to the patient’s left upper extremity |
RT |