CPT code 29530: Knee strapping, supportive knee taping2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in New York
Reports tape-based knee support, commonly applied after a sprain or for joint instability when the service is strapping rather than splinting.
Medicare pays $27.84–$32.79 for 29530 in the office in New York, from Rest of New York to NYC suburbs and Long Island, NY. 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 29530 covers
Code 29530 represents tape-based support applied around the knee to stabilize or support the joint, commonly after a sprain or in the setting of knee instability. A physician or other qualified clinician may apply the strapping in an office, emergency department, or other treatment setting. It describes knee strapping, not application of a rigid long-leg splint for immobilization.
Report the code when the documented service is strapping of the knee, and record the affected side, clinical reason, and application. Distinguish supportive taping from a long-leg splint based on the service furnished. The code has a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When multiple procedures occur in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are reduced to 50%. Bilateral strapping reported with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. CMS does not pay an assistant at surgery; 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 29530 pays more and less in New York
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
5 payment localities
$27.84 to $32.79
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Manhattan, NY | $32.28 | $16.75 |
| NYC suburbs and Long Island, NY | $32.79 | $16.90 |
| Poughkeepsie and northern NYC suburbs, NY | $30.86 | $16.23 |
| Queens, NY | $32.54 | $16.75 |
| Rest of New York | $27.84 | $15.15 |
How the 29530 rate is calculated
Each of 29530’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 · 29530
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work0.38
0.38 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense0.47
0.47 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.01
0.01 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
0.8600
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$28.72
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 29530
The CMS indicators that decide how 29530 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 29530
Knee strapping, supportive knee taping
| 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
29530 without 50 · national office
$28.72
Knee strapping, supportive knee taping
29530-50 · Bilateral: 150%
$43.08
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).
29530 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
4 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 29505Splint applicationLong leg
- 29530 reports supportive knee strapping; 29505 reports application of a long-leg splint for immobilization.
- 29520StrappingHip region
- 29520 is for strapping the hip. Choose 29530 when the strapped body site is the knee.
- 29540Ankle/foot strappingSupportive tape application
- 29540 is for strapping the ankle or foot, not the knee.
29530 billing questions
When should 29530 be chosen over 29505?
Use 29530 for supportive strapping of the knee. Use 29505 when the service is application of a long-leg splint for immobilization.
How is strapping of both knees reported?
Report bilateral strapping with modifier 50. CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.
What happens when 29530 is performed with other procedures in the same session?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full, and the other procedures are reduced to 50% under the standard multiple procedure rule.
What documentation supports 29530?
Document the knee treated, the clinical reason for support, and that strapping was applied. The record should make clear that the service was strapping rather than splint application.
Can an assistant at surgery or co-surgeon be reported for 29530?
CMS does not pay an assistant at surgery for this code, and 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.
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