CPT code 29040: Body cast2026 Medicare rate & RVUs in Missouri
Reports application of a body cast extending from the shoulders to the hips with head immobilization, such as a Minerva-type cast for spinal stability.
Medicare pays $304.16–$327.28 for 29040 in the office in Missouri, from Rest Of Missouri to Metropolitan St. Louis. 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.
On this page 9 sections
What 29040 covers
This service covers applying a rigid body cast from the shoulder region to the hips with the head included for immobilization. An orthopedic surgeon or other qualified clinician may apply this type of cast when a patient needs substantial stabilization of the head, neck, and trunk, such as for selected cervical or upper spinal conditions. The work involves molding and fitting the cast to support the intended alignment and restrict movement.
Report the code when the documented cast includes the head and extends to the hips; a body cast without head inclusion or one extending onto a thigh has a different code. Record the treated condition and the cast’s anatomical extent so the distinction is clear. CMS assigns a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When other procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documented medical necessity.
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 29040 pays more and less in Missouri
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
3 payment localities
$304.16 to $327.28
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Kansas City | $323.62 | $159.91 |
| Metropolitan St. Louis | $327.28 | $161.29 |
| Rest Of Missouri | $304.16 | $153.87 |
How the 29040 rate is calculated
Each of 29040’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 · 29040
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Work2.16
2.16 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Practice expense7.55
7.55 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Malpractice0.45
0.45 RVUs× 1.000 GPCI
Adjusted RVUs
10.1600
Conversion factor
$33.4009
Medicare rate
$339.35
Every GPCI starts at 1.000, the national rate. Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 29040
The CMS indicators that decide how 29040 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 29040
Body cast
| 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) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| 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 51 · payment effect
With and without the modifier
29040 without 51 · national office
$339.35
Body cast
29040-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$169.68
When this isn’t the highest-valued procedure in the session, Medicare pays 50% of its fee schedule amount (the highest is paid at 100%).
29040 compared with similar codes
Compare codes · National
5 codes, side by side
How to choose
- 29035Body cast
- Use 29040 when the body cast includes the head. Code 29035 covers the shoulder-to-hip cast without head inclusion.
- 29044Body cast
- Use 29044 when the body cast also extends onto one thigh; 29040 includes the head and ends at the hips.
- 29046Body cast
- Use 29046 when the cast extends onto both thighs. Code 29040 describes head inclusion rather than extension onto the thighs.
- 29000Halo-type cast
- Code 29000 describes a halo-type body cast. Code 29040 describes a body cast that includes the head, without specifying a halo method.
29040 billing questions
How does this differ from 29035?
This code is for a body cast that includes the head. Code 29035 describes a body cast from the shoulders to the hips without head inclusion.
When should 29044 or 29046 be considered instead?
Those codes describe body casts extending onto one thigh or both thighs, respectively. Choose based on the cast’s actual anatomical extent.
Is same-day postoperative care included?
Yes. The 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care.
How are other procedures in the same session paid?
The highest-valued procedure is paid in full; other procedures are subject to the standard multiple-procedure reduction.
Can an assistant-at-surgery be reported?
Assistant-at-surgery payment is available only when medical necessity is documented.
Can modifier 50 be used for a cast applied bilaterally?
No. Bilateral adjustment does not apply because the descriptor and anatomy make modifier 50 inappropriate.
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
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