Billing code 29240: Shoulder strappingMedicare rate & RVUs in Oregon
Reports application of supportive or immobilizing strapping to a shoulder, commonly after injury or instability when taping is used to support the joint.
Medicare pays $28.56–$30.58 for 29240 in the office in Oregon, from Rest Of Oregon to Portland. 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 29240 covers
Shoulder strapping secures the shoulder with tape or a bandage to support or limit movement of the joint. It may be used after a shoulder sprain or other injury, or for shoulder instability. A clinician applies the strapping in an office, urgent care clinic, or outpatient setting; a Velpeau-style application is a familiar example.
Report 29240 when shoulder strapping is actually applied, not simply recommended. Documentation should identify the shoulder and side, the clinical reason, and the application performed. 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 additional procedures are subject to the 50% multiple-procedure reduction. Bilateral reporting with modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Assistant-at-surgery payment is restricted, and 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 29240 pays more and less in Oregon
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Portland | $30.58 | $15.74 |
| Rest Of Oregon | $28.56 | $15.26 |
How the 29240 rate is calculated
Each of 29240’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 · 29240
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 0.38Practice expense 0.47Malpractice 0.01
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 29240
The CMS indicators that decide how 29240 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 29240
Shoulder strapping
| 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
29240 without 50 · national office
$28.72
Shoulder strapping
29240-50 · 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).
29240 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
29240 vs 29200 vs 29260 vs 29280: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 29200Chest strapping
- Choose 29200 when the strapping is applied to the thorax; 29240 is for shoulder strapping.
- 29260Joint strapping
- Choose 29260 for strapping of the elbow or wrist. Use 29240 when the treated area is the shoulder.
- 29280Hand strapping
- 29280 describes hand or finger strapping, not support applied to the shoulder.
29240 billing questions
How do I distinguish 29240 from elbow or wrist strapping?
Use 29240 when the strapping is applied to the shoulder. Strapping of the elbow or wrist is represented by 29260.
Can I report 29240 for both shoulders?
CMS identifies this as a bilateral procedure; modifier 50 is paid at 150%. Document the strapping on both sides.
Is same-day preoperative or postoperative care separately included?
No. The 0-day global period includes same-day preoperative and postoperative care.
What happens when another procedure is performed in the same session?
Under the standard multiple-procedure reduction, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are paid at 50%.
Does 29240 describe a prefabricated shoulder brace?
No. It describes the application of shoulder strapping. Document the strapping performed rather than only the provision or recommendation of a brace.
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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