Billing code 29044: Body castMedicare rate & RVUs in Washington
Reports application of a trunk cast extending from the shoulders to the hips and over one thigh when treatment requires trunk and one-thigh immobilization.
Medicare pays $344.75–$391.70 for 29044 in the office in Washington, from Rest Of Washington to Seattle (King Cnty). 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 29044 covers
This service involves applying a rigid cast from shoulder level to the hips, with the cast extending over one thigh. The configuration stabilizes the trunk while also limiting movement through one hip and thigh. It may be selected for certain spinal or hip conditions when that extent of immobilization is needed. Orthopedic surgeons and other qualified clinicians may apply the cast in an office or hospital setting.
Report the service when the cast includes one thigh; document the clinical need and the cast’s actual extent. A trunk-only cast, a cast that includes the head, or one that includes both thighs has a different code in this family. The service has a 0-day global period, so same-day preoperative and postoperative care is included. When multiple 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. Modifier 50 is inappropriate for this code. Assistant-at-surgery payment requires documentation of medical necessity; 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 29044 pays more and less in Washington
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Rest Of Washington | $344.75 | $161.86 |
| Seattle (King Cnty) | $391.70 | $178.59 |
How the 29044 rate is calculated
Each of 29044’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 · 29044
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 2.07Practice expense 7.50Malpractice 0.43
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 29044
The CMS indicators that decide how 29044 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 29044
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
29044 without 51 · national office
$334.01
Body cast
29044-51 · Second procedure: 50%
$167.01
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%).
29044 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
29044 vs 29035 vs 29040 vs 29046: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 29035Body cast
- Choose 29035 for a body cast extending from the shoulders to the hips without a thigh extension. This code includes one thigh.
- 29040Body cast
- Choose 29040 when the body cast includes the head. This code covers the trunk and one thigh without the head-including configuration.
- 29046Body cast
- Choose 29046 when the body cast includes both thighs. This code is for a cast that includes one thigh.
29044 billing questions
How does this differ from a trunk-only body cast?
Use this code when the cast extends over one thigh as well as the trunk. A cast that stops at the hips is represented by 29035.
Which body cast codes distinguish head or thigh coverage?
Code 29040 describes a body cast that includes the head, while 29046 describes one that includes both thighs. This code is for one thigh.
Should modifier 50 be used for bilateral casting?
No. CMS identifies bilateral adjustment as inappropriate for this code; modifier 50 is not appropriate.
How are same-day related procedures paid?
When multiple procedures are performed in the same session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and the other procedures are subject to the standard multiple procedure reduction.
What documentation supports reporting this service?
Document the clinical reason for immobilization and the cast’s extent, including that it covers the trunk and one thigh. The recorded configuration should distinguish it from trunk-only, head-including, and both-thigh casts.
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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