Application of a short leg splint extending from the calf down to the foot for immobilization of the lower leg, ankle, or foot.

Verified May 8, 2026 · 8 sources ↓

Medicare: $82.50
Total RVUs: 2.47
Global, days: 0
Region: Foot & ankle

Drawn from CMSAAPCPabauMedibillmdPodiatrym

Documentation requirements

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

Source · Editorial brief grounded in 8 cited references ↓

Diagnosis and clinical indication for splinting, including ICD-10 code (e.g., ankle sprain, distal fibula fracture)
Explicit description of splint type and anatomic coverage (e.g., posterior short leg plaster splint, calf to foot)
Reason immobilization was chosen over casting — swelling, acute presentation, pending imaging results
Materials used: padding type, plaster or fiberglass, number of layers
Which extremity received the splint (left, right, or bilateral) to support laterality modifier
Patient instructions provided: weight-bearing restrictions, splint care, follow-up timeline
Provider name and credentials; date of service

Applicable modifiers

Modifiers commonly billed with this code.

Source · AMA CPT modifier descriptors · CMS NCCI Policy Manual

25 Significant separate E/M LT Left side RT Right side 50 Bilateral procedure 59 Distinct service

What this code covers

Source · Editorial summary grounded in 8 cited references ↓

CPT 29515 covers the application of a short leg splint running from just below the knee to the foot. It is used to immobilize the lower leg, ankle, and foot following fractures, dislocations, sprains, and other acute injuries where rigid casting is premature — typically due to swelling. The code has a 000-day global period, meaning no follow-up visits are bundled; each encounter is billed independently.

The most critical bundling rule: do not bill 29515 separately when a fracture or dislocation treatment code from the musculoskeletal section (CPT 20100–28899, 29800–29999) is billed for the same anatomic area on the same date. Per NCCI policy, those procedure codes already include the initial splinting. 29515 stands alone only when splint application is the definitive service — not an adjunct to a surgical or fracture-care procedure. If the same entity that applied the splint also removes it later, do not bill the removal codes (29700–29750); those codes apply only when a different entity removes what another placed.

Billing alongside an E/M on the same date is permissible but requires modifier 25 on the E/M to document that the evaluation involved significant work beyond the decision to splint. Laterality modifiers LT or RT are required by Medicare and most commercial payers. Do not use 29515 to report impression casting for custom orthotics — that is a misuse of the code and a recognized audit trigger.

RVU & reimbursement

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

Source · CMS Physician Fee Schedule, RVU26A · January 2026

Work RVU	0.71
Practice expense RVU	1.64
Malpractice RVU	0.12
Total RVU	2.47
Medicare national rate	$82.50
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	$82.50
HOPD (APC 5101) Hospital outpatient department	$166.02
ASC (PI P3) Ambulatory surgical center (freestanding)	$55.39

Common denial reasons

The recurring reasons claims for CPT 29515 get rejected.

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

Bundled into same-day fracture or dislocation treatment code — NCCI prohibits separate billing when a musculoskeletal procedure code covers the same anatomic area
Missing laterality modifier (LT or RT) — Medicare and most commercial payers require it for bilateral structures
E/M billed same-day without modifier 25 on the E/M code, causing the splint to be absorbed into the visit payment
Code used to report impression casting for custom orthotics — 29515 is for splint application only, not orthotic fabrication
Splint removal billed by the same entity that applied it — removal codes 29700–29750 are only payable when a different entity removes the splint

Frequently asked questions

Source · Generated from the editorial pipeline, verified against 8 cited references ↓

01Can I bill 29515 with a fracture treatment code on the same date?

No. NCCI policy is explicit: CPT codes for closed, percutaneous, or open fracture or dislocation treatment include the initial splinting. Billing 29515 separately for the same anatomic area on the same date is incorrect coding and will be denied or recouped on audit.

02Do I need modifier 25 to bill an E/M with 29515 on the same day?

Yes. Append modifier 25 to the E/M code to document that the evaluation involved significant, separately identifiable work beyond the decision to apply the splint. Without it, many payers will bundle the splint into the visit payment.

03Can I bill the splint removal separately later?

Only if a different entity removes the splint. If your practice applied it, subsequent removal by your practice is included in 29515. Removal codes 29700–29750 are payable only when a different provider or group performed the original application.

04Is 29515 correct for taking an impression cast for custom orthotics?

No. CPT 29515 is for applying a short leg splint for immobilization. Using it to report impression casting for custom foot orthotics is a misuse of the code and a recognized audit trigger. Orthotic fitting and training map to 97760 or 97762.

05Are splint materials billed separately from 29515?

Potentially, yes. HCPCS supply codes (e.g., A4570 for splint, A4580 for cast supplies) may be billed separately for the materials depending on the payer. Verify payer-specific policy — some payers consider supplies bundled into 29515's payment.

06What if I apply splints to both legs on the same date?

Bill 29515 twice: once with modifier LT and once with modifier RT. If payer policy permits, modifier 50 can be used for bilateral reporting — check individual payer guidelines, as some require the two-line approach with LT/RT instead.

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 clinical indication, the exact anatomic coverage of the splint (calf to foot), materials used, laterality, and the reason casting was deferred — typically swelling or acute presentation. That detail prevents the two most common denials: a missing or unsupported laterality modifier, and a bundling rejection when the note fails to distinguish the splint application as a service separate from any same-day E/M work.

See how Mira captures CPT 29515 documentation