CPT code 29085: Gauntlet cast, hand and lower forearm2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Louisiana
Reports application of a gauntlet-style cast over the hand and lower forearm when that extent of immobilization is needed for a wrist or hand injury.
Medicare pays $98.25–$103.29 for 29085 in the office in Louisiana, from Rest of Louisiana to New Orleans, LA. Which amount applies depends on the service address.
Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.
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On this page 9 sections
What 29085 covers
CPT 29085 represents application of a gauntlet-style cast that covers the hand and lower forearm, leaving the elbow free. It is used when an injury requires immobilization across the wrist and hand, such as selected carpal or metacarpal injuries. Orthopedic clinicians commonly apply this cast in office, emergency, or facility settings. The coverage distinguishes it from a cast that extends from below the elbow to the hand and from a cast limited to a finger.
Select the code from the cast’s extent and configuration, not the diagnosis alone. Document the treated side, the areas immobilized, and why this cast was used; replacement of the cast is included in the service. When cast application is part of fracture treatment that already includes it, do not separately report 29085. The 0-day global includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care. In a session with multiple procedures, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. Modifier 50 applies to bilateral performance, paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted; co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
This summary was written with AI assistance from CMS physician fee schedule data and checked against the CMS billing rules shown here. Rates on this page come directly from CMS files.
Where 29085 pays more and less in Louisiana
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans, LA | $103.29 | $62.43 |
| Rest of Louisiana | $98.25 | $59.82 |
How the 29085 rate is calculated
Each of 29085’s three RVUs is multiplied by a geographic index (GPCI) for the payment locality, added up, and multiplied by the conversion factor. Drag the indexes or enter a ZIP to see what moves the rate.
How the rate is built · 29085
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.85
0.85 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense2.19
2.19 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.16
0.16 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
3.2000
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$106.88
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 29085
The CMS indicators that decide how 29085 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 29085
Gauntlet cast, hand and lower forearm
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | 000 | Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is included. |
| Multiple procedures | 2 | Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 1 | Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 1 | Not paid (statutory restriction). |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
What modifiers do to the payment
Modifier 50 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
29085 without 50 · national office
$106.88
Gauntlet cast, hand and lower forearm
29085-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$160.32
Both sides on one line with modifier 50 are paid at 150% of the fee schedule amount (subject to multiple-procedure rules with other procedures).
29085 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 29075Cast applicationForearm to hand
- Use 29085 for a gauntlet-style cast over the hand and lower forearm. Use 29075 when the cast extends from below the elbow to the hand.
- 29086Finger castFinger only
- Use 29086 when the cast is limited to a finger. Use 29085 when the cast covers the hand and lower forearm.
- 29065Cast applicationShoulder to hand
- Use 29065 for a long-arm cast extending from the shoulder to the hand; 29085 covers the hand and lower forearm.
29085 billing questions
How does 29085 differ from a short-arm cast?
Choose 29085 for a gauntlet-style cast covering the hand and lower forearm. A short-arm cast under 29075 extends from below the elbow to the hand.
Can 29085 be reported with fracture treatment?
Do not separately report the cast application when the fracture-treatment service already includes it. Report 29085 when the cast application is separately reportable.
Does the code include cast replacement?
Yes. Replacement of the cast is included in this service.
How is bilateral application reported?
For bilateral performance, report modifier 50. CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.
What documentation supports selecting 29085?
Document the side treated, the cast’s coverage over the hand and lower forearm, and the clinical reason for that extent of immobilization.
Where these rates come from
FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indexes and the conversion factor. Services without a published rate are labeled, never given a made-up amount. Amounts are Medicare allowed amounts before claim adjustments: not a patient’s bill or a commercial rate.
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