Summary & Overview
HCPCS Q4047: Pediatric Short Leg Plaster Splint
HCPCS Level II code Q4047 denotes a pediatric plaster short leg splint for children aged 0–10 years. This supply-code classification identifies a commonly used immobilization device in acute and outpatient pediatric orthopedics and emergency care. Nationally, accurate coding of cast supplies affects billing consistency, inventory management, and clinical documentation for pediatric fracture and soft-tissue care.
Key payers included in the national context are Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find an explanation of what the code represents, typical clinical settings where the supply is used, and the payer landscape covered. The publication provides benchmarks and coding guidance context, outlines applicable billing considerations for supply designation, and highlights clinical scenarios where a short leg plaster splint is applied.
Data not available in the input for associated taxonomies, ICD-10 diagnoses, related codes, and service line details. The content focuses on national relevance of HCPCS Level II code Q4047, operational considerations for providers and billing staff, and what to expect in payer coverage patterns.
Billing Code Overview
HCPCS Level II code Q4047 describes cast supplies: short leg splint, pediatric (0-10 years), plaster. The item represents a pediatric plaster short leg splint used to immobilize the lower leg and ankle for children up to ten years of age.
-
Service type: Durable medical supply for immobilization and fracture or soft-tissue management
-
Typical site of service: Emergency department, urgent care, outpatient orthopedic clinic, or ambulatory surgical setting
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 7-year-old child presents to the pediatric urgent care clinic after twisting the lower leg while playing, resulting in pain, swelling, and difficulty bearing weight. Examination and plain radiographs confirm a non-displaced distal tibial or ankle fracture not requiring surgical fixation. The orthopedic or urgent care clinician applies a short leg plaster splint (pediatric size, ages 0–10) using cast supplies billed as Q4047. The workflow includes consent, neurovascular checks, wound assessment if present, placement of a stockinette and padding, molding and drying of a plaster short leg splint, patient and caregiver education on cast care and follow-up, and documentation of the procedure, limb neurovascular status, and materials used. Typical site of service is an urgent care clinic, hospital outpatient department, emergency department, or orthopedic clinic. Typical patient scenario involves a pediatric patient (0–10 years) with an acute ankle/distal tibia fracture, severe sprain, or post-reduction immobilization requiring short leg plaster splinting for initial stabilization or definitive nonoperative treatment.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
00 | No modifier | Standard use when no other modifier applies |