Application of a long leg splint extending from the upper thigh to the ankle or foot to immobilize the entire lower extremity.

Verified May 8, 2026 · 6 sources ↓

Medicare: $109.55
Total RVUs: 3.28
Global, days: 0
Region: Knee

Drawn from CMSAAPCMdclarityFastrvuApps

Documentation requirements

What must appear in the operative or office note to support the claim.

Source · Editorial brief grounded in 6 cited references ↓

Specify the injury being treated — fracture, dislocation, or sprain — with supporting diagnosis code
Document the anatomic extent of the splint: proximal thigh to ankle/foot
State the clinical rationale for splinting rather than casting or definitive fracture management
Clarify provider intent: temporizing splint only, or initiation of definitive fracture care (determines whether 29505 or a fracture care code is appropriate)
Record laterality — left leg, right leg, or bilateral
Document any E/M service as significant and separately identifiable if billing both 29505 and an E/M on the same date
Note splinting material used and supply source if billing a supply code

Applicable modifiers

Modifiers commonly billed with this code.

Source · AMA CPT modifier descriptors · CMS NCCI Policy Manual

22 Increased complexity 25 Significant separate E/M 50 Bilateral procedure 52 Reduced services 59 Distinct service 76 Repeat, same physician 77 Repeat, another physician LT Left side RT Right side

What this code covers

Source · Editorial summary grounded in 6 cited references ↓

CPT 29505 covers the application of a long leg splint used to immobilize the leg from the upper thigh to the ankle or foot. It is used for fractures, dislocations, and severe sprains involving the knee, leg, or ankle when rigid casting is not yet appropriate — typically as initial stabilization in the ED, urgent care, or office setting before definitive treatment.

The code carries a 0-day global period, meaning the splint application itself is the billable event with no built-in follow-up. If the same provider plans to manage the fracture or injury to completion, the splint application is typically bundled into the fracture care code — 29505 is reportable as a standalone service only when the provider applies the splint as a temporizing measure and does not plan to provide definitive care. When a significant, separately identifiable E/M is performed on the same encounter, modifier 25 applies to the E/M.

Supply codes (Q4001–Q4051) for the splinting material can be reported separately when the facility owns the materials. Do not report an L-code for a prefabricated splint together with 29505 — that combination draws payer scrutiny. Laterality modifiers LT and RT are appropriate when one leg is treated; modifier 50 applies only in the rare bilateral scenario.

RVU & reimbursement

Component RVUs and Medicare national rate. Actual payment varies by GPCI locality.

Source · CMS Physician Fee Schedule, RVU26A · January 2026

Work RVU	0.67
Practice expense RVU	2.48
Malpractice RVU	0.13
Total RVU	3.28
Medicare national rate	$109.55
Global period	0 days

Payment by site of service

Medicare pays different rates by setting. HOPD typically pays substantially more than ASC for the same procedure.

Source · CMS OPPS Addendum B·ASC HCPCS payment rates·2026

Setting	Medicare rate (national)
Office (PFS non-facility) Procedure performed in physician's office	$109.55
HOPD (APC 5101) Hospital outpatient department	$166.02
ASC (PI P3) Ambulatory surgical center (freestanding)	$83.25

Common denial reasons

The recurring reasons claims for CPT 29505 get rejected.

Source · Editorial brief grounded in CMS NCCI edits, AAOS coding appeals, and cited references ↓

Bundling with a fracture care code when the same provider performs both the splint and definitive fracture management
Missing modifier 25 on a same-day E/M, causing the evaluation to deny as included in the splint application
L-code for prefabricated splint billed alongside 29505, triggering a duplicate supply denial
Laterality modifier absent when payer policy requires LT or RT for lower extremity procedures
Insufficient documentation of provider intent — auditors cannot determine whether splint was temporizing or definitive, leading to downcoding or denial

Frequently asked questions

Source · Generated from the editorial pipeline, verified against 6 cited references ↓

01Can I bill 29505 and a fracture care code together on the same date?

Not if the same provider is providing definitive fracture care. When you apply a splint as the initial and only planned treatment, the splint code stands alone. If you're taking the patient through to definitive management, the fracture care code includes the splint — 29505 is not separately reportable.

02Can I bill an E/M with 29505 on the same day?

Yes, but only if the E/M is significant and separately identifiable from the splint application itself. Add modifier 25 to the E/M. Document the decision-making or history that goes beyond the splinting encounter.

03Should I bill 29505 or 29515 for a tibia/fibula fracture?

Use 29505 if the splint extends from the upper thigh to the ankle — long leg. Use 29515 for a short leg splint. For a tibial fracture requiring above-knee immobilization to control rotation, 29505 is typically correct. Document the proximal extent of the splint explicitly.

04Can I separately bill splinting material supplies with 29505?

Yes — supply codes Q4001–Q4051 can be reported alongside 29505 when the facility stocks the materials. Do not bill an L-code for a prefabricated off-the-shelf splint at the same time as 29505; that combination is flagged as duplicate billing.

05Does 29505 require a laterality modifier?

Many payers require LT or RT for lower extremity procedures. Omitting laterality is a common clean-claim failure. Use modifier 50 only for true bilateral long leg splint application in the same session, which is rare but reportable.

06What is the global period for 29505, and what does that mean for follow-up billing?

The global period is 000 — zero days. The day of the procedure is the only day included in the global. Follow-up visits are billable separately on subsequent dates without a modifier.

Sources & references

Editorial content was developed using the following public sources. Last verified May 8, 2026.

Mira AI Scribe

Mira's AI scribe captures the anatomic extent of the splint (proximal thigh to ankle or foot), the treating diagnosis, laterality, and the provider's stated intent — temporizing stabilization vs. initiation of definitive care. That distinction is the single most common audit trigger for 29505: without it, payers bundle the splint into a fracture care code or deny the E/M for lack of modifier 25 support.

See how Mira captures CPT 29505 documentation