CPT code 29581: Compression wrap, below knee, including foot2026 Medicare rate & RVUs

Report this service when a clinician applies a multilayer compression system to treat conditions such as venous edema or a lower-leg ulcer.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities173.7K Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $83.50 for 29581 nationally in the office and $23.05 in a hospital or facility. Local office rates run $74.39–$113.57.

Medicare rate · 29581

Compression wrap, below knee, including foot

Office or facility?

Work RVUs
0.59
Total RVUs
2.50
Global days
000

National rate · 2026

$83.50

Office setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 29581 →Billed by an NP, PA or therapist? →

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

Your location

Medicare pays by the payment locality where the service is performed.

On this page 10 sections
  1. Medicare rate
  2. What 29581 covers
  3. By payment locality
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Similar codes
  8. Related codes
  9. Billing questions
  10. Sources

What 29581 covers

A clinician applies a multilayer compression system to a leg from the foot and ankle to below the knee. It is commonly used in outpatient wound care for venous stasis ulcers, chronic venous insufficiency, and edema or lymphedema requiring compression. The treated area and the compression system applied distinguish this service from localized strapping or a splint.

Report one service for each treated leg, documenting the condition, side, area treated, and application. The code has a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. If other procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the others are subject to a 50% reduction. For bilateral treatment, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. An assistant is paid only when medical necessity is documented; 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 29581 pays more and less

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

109 payment localities

$74.39 to $113.57

$74.39$93.98$113.57
One dot per payment locality, office / nonfacility. Hover a dot to see the locality; select it to open that rate.

109 of 109 payment localities

29581 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
Alabama$75.42$22.53
Alaska$97.33$32.95
Arizona$81.49$22.91
Arkansas$74.39$22.46
Atlanta, GA$84.64$23.22
Austin, TX$87.18$23.22
Bakersfield, CA$89.84$23.58
Baltimore area, MD$88.53$23.66
Beaumont, TX$77.77$22.75
Brazoria, TX$83.02$23.10

29581 rates by state

Office rate range in each state. Select a state to see its payment localities.

Explore a state

Local rates. Clear comparisons.

Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.

$74.39

$101.67

Color shows the midpoint of each state’s locality range.

View every state and territory as a table
29581 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AK$97.331
AL$75.421
AR$74.391
AZ$81.491
CA$89.77–$113.5729
CO$87.731
CT$88.851
DC$95.901
DE$82.811
FL$80.88–$86.613
GA$76.71–$84.642
GU$92.061
HI$92.061
IA$77.911
ID$78.251
IL$78.17–$85.614
IN$78.701
KS$77.241
KY$76.431
LA$76.19–$79.802
MA$87.11–$96.592
MD$84.43–$95.903
ME$78.30–$82.812
MI$78.02–$81.512
MN$85.111
MO$74.74–$80.463
MS$74.591
MT$83.501
NC$79.131
ND$83.301
NE$78.411
NH$86.061
NJ$90.16–$94.922
NM$78.301
NV$83.511
NY$80.23–$97.045
OH$77.981
OK$76.641
OR$83.15–$90.782
PA$78.28–$86.522
PR$84.201
RI$85.931
SC$78.631
SD$83.281
TN$77.571
TX$77.77–$87.188
UT$79.661
VA$82.33–$95.902
VI$84.201
VT$82.701
WA$87.04–$98.832
WI$80.611
WV$75.331
WY$83.421

How the 29581 rate is calculated

Each of 29581’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 · 29581

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Office or facility?

Work0.59

0.59 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Practice expense1.90

1.90 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Malpractice0.01

0.01 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI

Adjusted RVUs

2.5000

Conversion factor

$33.4009

Medicare rate

$83.50

Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 29581

The CMS indicators that decide how 29581 is paid alongside other services.

CMS payment indicators · 29581

Compression wrap, below knee, including foot

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period000Same-day global: pre- and post-op care on the day of the procedure is included.
Multiple procedures2Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%.
Bilateral (modifier 50)1Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)0Not paid without supporting documentation.
Co-surgeons (62)0Not permitted.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 50 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

29581 without 50 · national office

$83.50

Compression wrap, below knee, including foot

29581-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$125.25

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).

When to use modifier 50

29581 compared with similar codes

Compare codes · National

29581 vs 29580 vs 29584: Medicare rates

Office or facility?

  • 29581

    Compression wrap, below knee, including foot0.59 wRVU

    $83.50

  • 29580

    Unna boot, zinc oxide compression wrap0.54 wRVU

    $63.13−$20.37

  • 29584

    Compression application, upper arm through hand0.34 wRVU

    $74.48−$9.02

How to choose

29580Unna bootZinc oxide compression wrap
Choose 29581 for a multilayer compression system applied to the lower leg, ankle, and foot. 29580 describes Unna boot strapping.
29584Compression applicationUpper arm through hand
29581 treats the leg; 29584 is the related multilayer compression service for an upper-arm site.

29581 billing questions

How does 29581 differ from 29580?

29581 is for a multilayer compression system on the lower leg, including the ankle and foot. 29580 is for Unna boot strapping.

Can 29581 be reported for both legs?

Yes. Document treatment of both legs and report modifier 50; CMS pays the bilateral procedure at 150%.

What documentation supports 29581?

Record the diagnosis or clinical condition being treated, the leg and area treated, and application of the multilayer compression system.

Does 29581 have a postoperative global period?

It has a 0-day global period. Same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included.

Can an assistant or another surgeon be paid with 29581?

Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity. 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

Show the CMS file lines behind this rate
RVUs for 29581PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 3,304 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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