CurrentColorado Rocky Mountain Health PlansPolicy N/A

HCPCS S2900 (Robotic Surgical Technique) Reimbursement

Defines UnitedHealthcare Community Plan's reimbursement stance for HCPCS code S2900 (robotic surgical technique) for services billed on CMS-1500/UB04 and applies to UHC Community Plan Medicaid and Medicare products and participating/non-participating providers.

Policy Summary

PayerColorado Rocky Mountain Health Plans

PolicyHCPCS S2900 (Robotic Surgical Technique) Reimbursement

Policy CodePolicy N/A

Change TypeNon-material (branding and state exception updates)

Effective Date

Next Review DateSep 8, 2025

Key ActionDo not bill S2900 separately; reimbursement is included in the primary surgical procedure and Modifier 22 should not be used solely to report robotic assistance.

SourceLink

POLICY UPDATE CHANGES

State Exception: Indiana Updated.

State Exception: Kentucky removed.

Logo: Updated.

1HCPCS code listed in policy

3named state exceptions

1500claim form referenced (CMS-1500)

Coverage stance for HCPCS S2900

S2900 coverage criteria

Covered when ALL of the following apply:

Policy Summary

PayerColorado Rocky Mountain Health Plans

PolicyHCPCS S2900 (Robotic Surgical Technique) Reimbursement

Policy CodePolicy N/A

Change TypeNon-material (branding and state exception updates)

Effective Date

Next Review DateSep 8, 2025

Key ActionDo not bill S2900 separately; reimbursement is included in the primary surgical procedure and Modifier 22 should not be used solely to report robotic assistance.

SourceLink

On This Page

Trek Health ingests and normalizes Transparency in Coverage data and payer policy updates to give provider organizations a clear view of how commercial reimbursement behaves across markets, payers, and services. Our platform transforms raw payer disclosures into structured intelligence that supports contract evaluation, payer negotiations, and service line strategy. By combining market benchmarks with ongoing policy visibility, Trek helps teams identify variability, risk, and opportunity in commercial reimbursement. The result is faster insight, stronger negotiating positions, and more informed financial decisions.

ALL of the following

S2900 is considered integral to the primary surgical procedure and is not separately reimbursable.
When a surgical procedure is performed using S2900, reimbursement is considered included as part of the primary surgical procedure.
Modifier 22 should not be used solely to report robotic assistance; Modifier 22 may be used only when documentation supports substantial additional work unrelated to robotic assistance (increased intensity, time, technical difficulty, severity of patient condition, and physical and mental effort).
See Increased Procedural Services Reimbursement Policy for additional Modifier 22 guidance.
State exceptions (any of the following apply)
- Idaho is exempt from this policy (HCPCS S2900 is not a covered code in Idaho).
- Indiana is exempt from this policy (HCPCS S2900 is not listed as a covered code in Indiana).
- Washington, DC is exempt per district regulations.

If S2900 is billed separately, payment will be bundled into the primary procedure code (no separate reimbursement).

Billing, prior authorization, and claim submission guidance

Billing Rule

Do not bill S2900 separately; Modifier 22 limited

Do not bill HCPCS code S2900 separately; UnitedHealthcare Community Plan considers S2900 integral to the primary surgical procedure and reimbursement is included in the payment for the primary procedure. Modifier 22 should not be appended to the primary procedure solely to report robotic assistance — it may be used only when documentation supports substantial additional work unrelated to robotic assistance.

If S2900 is billed, payment will be considered included in the primary surgical procedure; separate reimbursement for S2900 is not allowed.
Modifier 22 may be appropriate only when documentation demonstrates substantial additional work (increased intensity, time, technical difficulty, severity of condition, or physical/mental effort) that is unrelated to robotic assistance; see Increased Procedural Services Reimbursement Policy for details.
State exceptions: Idaho, Indiana, and Washington DC are exempt from this policy (treatment of S2900 governed by state/district rules).

Definitions and modifier guidance

inv-04: S2900 — definition of robotic surgical technique and relation to primary procedure

CodeS2900

DefinitionSurgical techniques requiring use of robotic surgical system (list separately in addition to code for primary procedure). Describes a computer‑aided tool used in performing a specific surgical procedure.

Reimbursement stanceUnitedHealthcare Community Plan considers S2900 integral to the primary surgical procedure and not separately reimbursable; when billed, reimbursement is considered included in the primary procedure.

ApplicationReport the primary surgical CPT/HCPCS code that most comprehensively describes the services performed; do not expect separate payment for S2900.

State exceptionsIdaho, Indiana and Washington DC are exempt from this policy (treatment of S2900 is per state/district rules).

inv-05: Modifier 22 guidance — when Modifier 22 is inappropriate for robotic assistance

Primary guidanceModifier 22 is not appropriate when used solely to report robotic assistance; it may be used only when substantial additional work unrelated to robotic assistance is performed and documented.

When Modifier 22 is appropriateUse only when documentation shows increased intensity, time, technical difficulty, severity of patient’s condition, or additional physical/mental effort unrelated to robotic assistance.

Documentation requirementClinical documentation must demonstrate the reason for the substantial additional work performed during the surgical procedure to support Modifier 22.

Related policySee the UnitedHealthcare Community Plan Increased Procedural Services Reimbursement Policy for additional information on Modifier 22 use.

OpenPayer

HCPCS S2900 (Robotic Surgical Technique) Reimbursement

Coverage stance for HCPCS S2900

HCPCS / Procedure codes

Billing, prior authorization, and claim submission guidance

Definitions and modifier guidance