Surgical · Hip

Application of elastic adhesive tape or supportive bandaging to the hip joint to stabilize the area, limit abnormal movement, and support healing following sprains, strains, dislocations, or certain fractures.

Verified May 8, 2026 · 6 sources ↓

Medicare: $34.74
Total RVUs: 1.04
Global, days: 0
Region: Hip

Drawn from CMSNataAAPCOpenpayer

Documentation requirements

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

Source · Editorial brief grounded in 6 cited references ↓

Clinical indication: specify the diagnosis driving the strapping (sprain, strain, dislocation, fracture type) with corresponding ICD-10 code
Laterality documented explicitly — left, right, or bilateral — to support modifier LT, RT, or 50
Confirmation that no other musculoskeletal procedure was performed on the same hip on the same date of service
If an E&M is billed same-day, document that the evaluation was significant, separately identifiable, and not solely the decision to apply the strap
Type of strapping material applied and technique used, including any analgesic pack or spica taping application
Anticipated plan for follow-up or strap removal, including whether removal will be performed by the same or a different entity

Applicable modifiers

Modifiers commonly billed with this code.

Source · AMA CPT modifier descriptors · CMS NCCI Policy Manual

22 Increased complexity 24 Unrelated E/M during global 25 Significant separate E/M 50 Bilateral procedure 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 29520 covers hip strapping — the application of elastic adhesive tape or supportive bandage to the hip region to provide external stabilization and limit injurious movement. It's used for hip sprains, strains (including proximal hamstring), dislocations in the acute or post-reduction phase, and select fracture presentations when no other definitive musculoskeletal procedure is performed on the same anatomic area.

This is a 000-global minor surgical procedure. That means the global period is a single day — but NCCI rules still prohibit billing a related E&M on the same day. If you separately document a significant, distinctly identifiable E&M, append modifier 25. The strapping supply (Q4001–Q4051) may be billed separately in the office setting; under OPPS, supply payment is bundled into the procedure payment.

Critical NCCI rule: 29520 cannot be billed alongside a musculoskeletal procedure code (20100–28899 or 29800–29999) for the same hip on the same date. The strapping is bundled. If you're the treating physician who applies the strap and follows the patient through recovery, do not separately bill strap removal — that's also bundled. Removal codes (29700–29750) are only separately reportable if a different entity applied the original strapping.

RVU & reimbursement

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

Source · CMS Physician Fee Schedule, RVU26A · January 2026

Work RVU	0.38
Practice expense RVU	0.65
Malpractice RVU	0.01
Total RVU	1.04
Medicare national rate	$34.74
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	$34.74
HOPD (APC 5734) Hospital outpatient department	$135.93

Common denial reasons

The recurring reasons claims for CPT 29520 get rejected.

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

Bundling denial when 29520 is billed alongside a musculoskeletal procedure code for the same hip on the same date — NCCI prohibits separate reporting
Same-day E&M denied without modifier 25 because payer treats the E&M as included in the minor surgical procedure
Claim denied for dressing application after a therapeutic procedure — strapping cannot be billed as a distinct service when it functions as post-procedure dressing
Missing or inconsistent laterality — payer rejects claim when chart says right hip but no modifier LT/RT appended, or vice versa
Strap removal billed separately by the same entity that applied it — NCCI bundles removal into the initial application code

Frequently asked questions

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

01Can I bill 29520 and an E&M on the same date of service?

Yes, but only if the E&M is significant and separately identifiable — not just the decision to apply the strap. Append modifier 25 to the E&M. NCCI's 000-global rules prohibit billing a related E&M, so your documentation must clearly separate the two services.

02Can I bill strap removal separately after applying 29520?

No — not if your entity applied the original strapping. NCCI bundles removal into the initial application. Removal codes 29700–29750 are only separately reportable when a different entity applied the original strap.

03Can 29520 be billed on the same date as a hip fracture or dislocation treatment code?

No. NCCI prohibits separately billing any casting, splinting, or strapping code alongside a musculoskeletal procedure code (20100–28899 or 29800–29999) for the same anatomic area on the same date. The strapping is considered part of the procedure.

04What modifier do I use if I strap both hips on the same visit?

Append modifier 50 for a bilateral procedure, or use LT and RT on separate line items depending on payer preference. Confirm bilateral billing policy with each payer — some require 50 on a single line, others want two lines with LT and RT.

05Can I bill a supply code for the strapping materials?

In the office setting (POS 11), yes — bill the appropriate Q4001–Q4051 supply code separately alongside 29520. Under OPPS (hospital outpatient), supply payment is bundled into the procedure payment and cannot be billed separately.

06Which therapy modifier applies when a physical therapist bills 29520?

Physical therapists billing under a Medicare outpatient physical therapy plan of care should append modifier GP. This is one of the most common billing scenarios for this code given PT in Private Practice is a top-volume specialty on the PUF.

07Is 29520 appropriate when strapping is applied after a therapeutic procedure as a dressing?

No. NCCI explicitly prohibits reporting casting, splinting, or strapping codes when the application functions as a dressing following a therapeutic procedure. The code is only separately reportable when the strapping itself is the primary service.

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, hip laterality, strapping material and technique, and the absence of a concurrent musculoskeletal procedure on the same anatomic site — all from dictation. This prevents the two most common 29520 denials: NCCI bundling flags triggered by an undocumented concurrent procedure, and same-day E&M rejections caused by missing modifier 25 justification.

See how Mira captures CPT 29520 documentation