Summary & Overview
HCPCS Q4009: Short Arm Plaster Cast Supply, Adult
HCPCS Level II code Q4009 represents the supply of a short arm plaster cast for adults (age 11 and up). This code captures the material component specific to short arm plaster casting and is used across outpatient and emergency settings where immobilization for upper extremity injuries is provided. Nationally, accurate application of this HCPCS supply code affects billing clarity for cast materials, cost reporting, and supply utilization tracking in musculoskeletal care.
Key payers in scope include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise explanation of what the code represents, the typical clinical contexts and sites of service where it is used, and the implications for coding and billing workflows. The publication provides benchmarks and payer coverage context where available, summarizes relevant policy considerations for supply coding, and outlines common clinical scenarios tied to short arm plaster casting.
Data limitations: where specific payer policy details, taxonomies, and ICD-10 pairings are not provided in the source input, those fields are noted as not available. The focus remains on national applicability and operational clarity for clinicians, coders, and revenue cycle professionals dealing with cast supply billing.
Billing Code Overview
HCPCS Level II code Q4009 denotes cast supplies, short arm cast, adult (11 years +), plaster. This code covers the supply component for providing a short arm plaster cast intended for patients aged 11 years and older.
Service type: Durable medical supply / casting materials for immobilization.
Typical site of service: Outpatient clinic, emergency department, ambulatory surgery center, or other facility where casting is performed.
Data not available in the input for associated taxonomies, ICD-10 diagnoses, and related codes.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 46-year-old adult presents to an urgent care clinic after a fall onto an outstretched hand with focal forearm pain, swelling, and point tenderness over the distal radius. The clinician performs an exam and obtains wrist and forearm radiographs confirming a nondisplaced distal radius fracture. The clinician determines that immobilization with a short arm plaster cast is appropriate for initial management.
In the clinical workflow the patient is consented for cast application, the extremity is prepared (padding and stockinette applied), standard plaster roll is mixed and applied to form a short arm cast from the proximal forearm to the metacarpal heads, and the cast is molded for proper alignment. The cast supplies (plaster) are documented and billed using Q4009 for the adult short arm plaster cast supplies. Post-application instructions and a follow-up plan (clinic or orthopedic referral for recheck and possible definitive management) are provided.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
LT | Left side | Use when the cast is applied to the left upper extremity. |
RT |