Summary & Overview
HCPCS Q4020: Pediatric Long Arm Fiberglass Splint Supplies
HCPCS Level II code Q4020 identifies fiberglass cast supplies for a pediatric long arm splint for ages 0–10 years. This supply-level code is used when providers bill for the material components specific to applying a long arm pediatric splint and is relevant across pediatric orthopedic, urgent care, and emergency care settings. Nationally, supply codes such as Q4020 matter for uniform reporting of device and material utilization, outpatient revenue capture, and supply-category reimbursement.
Key payers included in this overview are Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find concise context on clinical use, typical sites of service, and the role of the code in billing workflows. The publication provides benchmarks where available, summaries of common modifier reporting, and guidance on how this supply code is positioned in claims relative to professional services and procedural codes.
This summary is intended for billing managers, revenue cycle staff, and clinicians involved in pediatric immobilization to clarify what the code represents, which payers commonly encounter it, and what sections of the billing process it affects. Data not available in the input will be noted in corresponding sections.
Billing Code Overview
HCPCS Level II code Q4020 describes cast supplies for a long arm splint designed for pediatric patients aged 0–10 years, constructed of fiberglass. This supply code represents the specific material components supplied for application of a long arm splint in children.
Service type: Orthopedic immobilization supply
Typical site of service: Outpatient clinic, urgent care, emergency department, or ambulatory surgical center
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 6-year-old child presents to an orthopedic clinic after a playground fall with pain, swelling, and limited range of motion of the forearm and elbow. Radiographs confirm a nondisplaced distal radial metaphyseal fracture without neurovascular compromise. The clinical team elects to apply a temporary immobilization device: a pediatric long arm splint fabricated with fiberglass material sized for ages 0–10 years (Q4020). The workflow includes assessment and consent, neurovascular exam, preparing the limb (padding and stockinette), molding the splint in functional alignment, cutting and applying fiberglass casting material, trimming edges, and providing caregiver instructions on splint care, activity restrictions, and follow-up with orthopedics or cast clinic for potential conversion to a definitive cast or continued immobilization. Typical sites of service are outpatient orthopedic clinics, urgent care centers, emergency departments, and pediatric cast clinics. The typical patient scenario involves pediatric patients aged 0–10 years requiring short-term immobilization for acute fractures, significant soft-tissue injuries, or post-reduction stabilization.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
LT | Left side | When the splint is applied to the left upper extremity |