L2999 HCPCS code: Lower extremity orthoses, not otherwise specified
L2999 is the HCPCS Level II code for lower extremity orthoses, not otherwise specified. In 2024 Medicare paid an average of $203.76 per service for L2999 across 12,205 services. Its Medicare coverage code is C (Carrier judgment): Coverage is decided by the Medicare contractor (MAC) case by case. The NCCI unit limit is 2 per day on outpatient hospital claims. Medicare volume rose 55% from 2022 to 2024 (7,862 to 12,205 services). In 2024, 424 suppliers billed Medicare for L2999 (purchases), serving 10,395 beneficiaries; California, Florida, Pennsylvania accounted for 27% of services.
Code details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Section | L codes — Orthotic and prosthetic procedures and devices |
| Coverage code | C — Carrier judgment |
| Pricing indicator | 46 — Priced by the Medicare contractor (no national fee) |
| BETOS category | D1F — Prosthetic and orthotic devices |
| Added | 1982-01-01 |
| Last action effective | 1998-01-01 |
Who bills L2999 (2024)
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Suppliers billing rentals | — |
| Suppliers billing purchases | 424 |
| Referring clinicians | 5,416 |
| Medicare beneficiaries | 10,395 |
| States with claims | 48 |
| Share of services in top 3 states (California, Florida, Pennsylvania) | 27% |
| Year | Suppliers | Beneficiaries |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 281 | 7,397 |
| 2023 | 351 | 9,703 |
| 2024 | 424 | 10,395 |
Counts only. Supplier and clinician names, contact lists and state-by-state detail are in Caduvo.
Medicare utilization for L2999, 2022–2024
| Year | Services | Beneficiaries | Avg. allowed | Avg. paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 7,862 | 7,397 | $139.68 | $108.84 |
| 2023 | 10,251 | 9,703 | $148.49 | $114.95 |
| 2024 | 12,205 | 10,395 | $261.75 | $203.76 |
States with the most L2999 services (2024)
| State | Services | Avg. paid |
|---|---|---|
| California | 1,245 | $195.91 |
| Florida | 1,053 | $196.24 |
| Pennsylvania | 989 | $145.30 |
| Texas | 770 | $172.08 |
| Maryland | 518 | $162.44 |
NCCI unit limits (MUE)
| Claim type | Max units per day | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| outpatient hospital claims | 2 | Clinical: Data |
Medicare policy articles for this code
- A52457: Ankle-Foot/Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthoses - Policy Article (CGS Administrators, LLC (DME MAC) Noridian Healthcare Solutions, LLC (DME MAC)) — mentions this code in its coding guidance
- A52465: Knee Orthoses - Policy Article (CGS Administrators, LLC (DME MAC) Noridian Healthcare Solutions, LLC (DME MAC)) — mentions this code in its coding guidance
Covered diagnoses (4,818 ICD-10-CM codes)
The diagnoses most often listed as covered in the policy articles above:
| ICD-10-CM | Diagnosis | Articles listing it |
|---|---|---|
| A52.16 | Charcot's arthropathy (tabetic) | 1 |
| E08.610 | Diabetes mellitus due to underlying condition with diabetic neuropathic arthropathy | 1 |
| E09.610 | Drug or chemical induced diabetes mellitus with diabetic neuropathic arthropathy | 1 |
| E10.610 | Type 1 diabetes mellitus with diabetic neuropathic arthropathy | 1 |
| E11.610 | Type 2 diabetes mellitus with diabetic neuropathic arthropathy | 1 |
| G04.1 | Tropical spastic paraplegia | 1 |
| G35.A | Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis | 1 |
| G35.B0 | Primary progressive multiple sclerosis, unspecified | 1 |
| G35.B1 | Active primary progressive multiple sclerosis | 1 |
| G35.B2 | Non-active primary progressive multiple sclerosis | 1 |
Showing 10 of 4,818. The full list, non-covered diagnoses and CSV export are in Caduvo.
What changed for L2999
- 1982-01-01: L2999 added to HCPCS Level II
- Next scheduled CMS quarterly update (HCPCS and DMEPOS fee schedule): 2027-01-01
Frequently asked questions
What is HCPCS code L2999?
L2999 is the HCPCS Level II code for lower extremity orthoses, not otherwise specified. Short descriptor: "Lower extremity orthosis nos".
How much does Medicare pay for L2999?
In 2024, the average Medicare payment was $203.76 per service (average allowed $261.75).
Does Medicare cover L2999?
Coverage code C — Carrier judgment. Coverage is decided by the Medicare contractor (MAC) case by case.
Which diagnoses support coverage for L2999?
Medicare policy articles that cite L2999 list 4,818 covered ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes across 2 articles. The most cited include A52.16 (Charcot's arthropathy (tabetic)), E08.610 (Diabetes mellitus due to underlying condition with diabetic neuropathic arthropathy), E09.610 (Drug or chemical induced diabetes mellitus with diabetic neuropathic arthropathy). A listed diagnosis is necessary but not sufficient; the policy's other criteria still apply.
How many units of L2999 can be billed per day?
2 on outpatient hospital claims (NCCI medically unlikely edits).
Building a device that would bill under a code like this? Caduvo matches a device description to HCPCS/CPT codes, Medicare coverage and payment, and the FDA pathway in one report.
Next steps
- Run a reimbursement report for a device billed under L2999
- Watch L2999 for fee, coverage and descriptor changes
- Build a full Medicare revenue model for L2999
Sources: CMS HCPCS Level II release October 2025; CMS DMEPOS fee schedule; CMS NCCI MUE tables; CMS Medicare utilization (physician and DME supplier files); CMS Medicare Coverage Database articles. Fees are Medicare allowables, not commercial rates. Not billing or legal advice.