CPT code 29086: Finger cast, finger only2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Maryland
Reports rigid cast application limited to a finger when an injured digit, such as one with a phalangeal fracture, needs immobilization.
Medicare pays $83.29–$94.59 for 29086 in the office in Maryland, from Rest of Maryland to Washington, DC area. 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 29086 covers
Code 29086 represents a clinician applying a rigid cast to immobilize an injured finger, commonly after a phalangeal fracture when circumferential immobilization is selected instead of a splint. The service is limited to the finger; casts extending to the hand or forearm belong to broader cast-application codes. It is commonly performed in an office, emergency department, or other setting where acute hand injuries are treated.
Report the service when documentation identifies the injured digit, the clinical reason for immobilization, and the cast applied. A cast application included in definitive fracture treatment is not separately reported for the same work. The 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures at 50%. For bilateral service, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Medicare does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code; 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 29086 pays more and less in Maryland
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
3 payment localities
$83.29 to $94.59
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore area, MD | $87.65 | $48.59 |
| Rest of Maryland | $83.29 | $46.45 |
| Washington, DC area | $94.59 | $51.70 |
How the 29086 rate is calculated
Each of 29086’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 · 29086
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.60
0.60 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense1.82
1.82 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.05
0.05 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
2.4700
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$82.50
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 29086
The CMS indicators that decide how 29086 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 29086
Finger cast, finger only
| 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
29086 without 50 · national office
$82.50
Finger cast, finger only
29086-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$123.75
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).
29086 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 29085Gauntlet castHand and lower forearm
- Choose 29086 for a cast limited to a finger. Use 29085 when the cast covers the hand and lower forearm.
- 29075Cast applicationForearm to hand
- Code 29075 describes a short-arm cast extending from the elbow to the fingers; 29086 is limited to a finger.
- 29130Finger splintStatic application
- Code 29130 is for applying a static finger splint. Use 29086 when a rigid cast, rather than a splint, is applied.
29086 billing questions
When should 29086 be used instead of a finger splint code?
Use 29086 for a rigid cast applied to a finger. A static finger splint is reported with 29130 rather than this cast-application code.
Can 29086 be billed separately with fracture treatment?
When cast application is included in the definitive fracture-treatment service, do not separately report 29086 for that same work.
What documentation supports 29086?
Document the injured finger, the reason for immobilization, and the cast applied. The record should make clear that the service was a finger cast, not a splint or a cast extending to the hand or forearm.
How is bilateral application reported?
For bilateral service, report modifier 50; CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%. If multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others at 50%.
Can an assistant or surgical team be reported?
An assistant at surgery is not paid for 29086. Co-surgeons and team surgery are not permitted.
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.
CMS RVU26D · effective Oct 1, 2026 through the day before Jan 1, 2027
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