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Orthopedic Footwear - Policy Article

Article A52481 · 9 versions, 2015 to today · last changed 2023-11-01 (R9)

Version 30 of Article A52481: in force by CMS's dates 2023-11-01 onward. The policy text on this page comes from this archived version.

DME MAC jurisdictions
JA · Noridian 16013
CT, DE, DC, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT
JB · CGS 17013
IL, IN, KY, MI, MN, OH, WI
JC · CGS 18003
AL, AR, CO, FL, GA, LA, MS, NM, NC, OK, PR, SC, TN, TX, VI, VA, WV
JD · Noridian 19003
AK, AS, AZ, CA, GU, HI, ID, IA, KS, MO, MT, NE, NV, ND, MP, OR, SD, UT, WA, WY
source

CMS's Who are the MACs jurisdiction pages (DME facts as of 2025-09-30) name each contractor and its states; the MCD's Contractor Information table on every DME LCD prints the contract numbers. Both read 2026-10-09. Verzi adds the state lookup only.

CMS's newest revision note (R9, 2023-11-01), quoted

Revision Effective Date: 11/01/2023 POLICY SPECIFIC DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS: Added: “Based on Social Security Act §1834(h)(5), for purposes of determining the reasonableness and medical necessity of orthotics and prosthetics, documentation created by an orthotist or prosthetist shall be considered part of the individual’s medical record to support documentation created by the treating practitioner.” as clarification 04/03/2025: At this time 21st Century Cures Act applies to new and revised LCDs which require comment and notice. This revision is to an article that is not a local coverage determination.
source

This quote comes from CMS's revision-history file, not from the version's own file: Our archived file.

Sections in this version: Article Text. Plus 4 sections marked N/A in this version.

ICD-10-CM Codes that Support Medical Necessity (84 codes)

Group 1: 84 codes. CMS's group paragraph, quoted

The presence of an ICD-10 code listed in this section is not sufficient by itself to assure coverage. Refer to the LCD section on “Coverage Indications, Limitations, and/or Medical Necessity” for other coverage criteria and payment information.

For HCPCS code L3250:

ICD-10-CM Codes that DO NOT Support Medical Necessity (CMS lists no codes)

Group 1: CMS lists no codes in this group. CMS's group paragraph, quoted

For the specific HCPCS code indicated above, all ICD-10 codes that are not specified in the previous section.

For all other HCPCS codes, ICD-10 codes are not specified.

CMS's list for version 30. The full code table serves customers with an API key.

source

CMS's ICD-10-CM lists in the Medicare Coverage Database download, archived 2026-10-09: Our archived file.

Full verbatim text serves to customers · Customer? Log in

Version history, Article A52481

CMS numbers each version. Each box shows the version's window by CMS's stated dates. Select a version to show it on this page. Versions superseded the same day they took effect never governed a claim, so the page hides them until you ask. Version numbers CMS never published to its archive do not exist as documents.

Revision history, every version

CMS's own change log, quoted, 8 entries. It does not change with the version shown. A revision (R-number) is a change CMS logged. The version (vN) is the snapshot that carries it.

R9 · 2023-11-01 · v30
Revision Effective Date: 11/01/2023
POLICY SPECIFIC DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS:
Added: “Based on Social Security Act §1834(h)(5), for purposes of determining the reasonableness and medical necessity of orthotics and prosthetics, documentation created by an orthotist or prosthetist shall be considered part of the individual’s medical record to support documentation created by the treating practitioner.” as clarification


04/03/2025: At this time 21st Century Cures Act applies to new and revised LCDs which require comment and notice. This revision is to an article that is not a local coverage determination.
R7 · 2020-01-01 · v25
Revision Effective Date: 01/01/2020
NON-MEDICAL NECESSITY COVERAGE AND PAYMENT RULES:
Added: L5220 to the list of partial foot or lower extremity prosthesis HCPCS codes that will result in orthopedic shoes denial when the shoes are put on over the prosthesis
MODIFIERS:
Added: LT and RT modifiers
Removed: “code (specific to the 5th digit)”
Added: “code(s) to the highest level of specificity”
Added: Statement regarding use of RT and LT, with reference to CODING GUIDELINES section for additional information
CODING GUIDELINES:
Added: L5220 to the list of other types of leg prostheses that must not be used with HCPCS code L3250


05/26/2022: At this time 21st Century Cures Act applies to new and revised LCDs which require comment and notice. This revision is to an article that is not a local coverage determination.
R6 · 2020-01-01 · v20
Revision Effective Date: 01/01/2020
REQUIREMENTS FOR SPECIFIC DMEPOS ITEMS PURSUANT TO FINAL RULE 1713 (84 FED. REG VOL 217):
Removed: “The link will be located here once it is available.”
Added: “The required Face-to-Face Encounter and Written Order Prior to Delivery List is available here.” with a hyperlink to the list


04/14/2022: At this time the 21st Century Cures Act applies to new and revised LCDs which require comment and notice. This revision is to an article that is not a local coverage determination.
R5 · 2020-01-01 · v18
Revision Effective Date: 01/01/2020
NON-MEDICAL NECESSITY COVERAGE AND PAYMENT RULES:
Added: HCPCS code L3000 to noncovered statement, previously omitted in error


03/11/2021: At this time 21st Century Cures Act applies to new and revised LCDs which require comment and notice. This revision is to an article that is not a local coverage determination.
R4 · 2020-01-01 · v15
Revision Effective Date: 01/01/2020

NON-MEDICAL NECESSITY COVERAGE AND PAYMENT RULES:
 Revised: Format of HCPCS code references, from code spans to individually-listed HCPCS
Removed
: Therapeutic Shoes for Persons with Diabetes codes, leaving reference to the policy

 REQUIREMENTS FOR SPECIFIC DMEPOS ITEMS PURSUANT TO FINAL RULE 1713 (84 Fed. Reg Vol 217):
 Added: Section and related information based on Final Rule 1713
 CODING GUIDELINES:
 Revised: Format of HCPCS code references, from code spans to individually-listed HCPCS
Removed
: Therapeutic Shoes for Persons with Diabetes codes, leaving reference to the policy
 ICD-10 CODES THAT SUPPORT MEDICAL NECESSITY:
 Revised: Section header “ICD-10 Codes that are Covered” updated to “ICD-10 Codes that Support Medical Necessity”
 ICD-10 CODES THAT DO NOT SUPPORT MEDICAL NECESSITY:
 Revised: Section header “ICD-10 Codes that are Not Covered” updated to “ICD-10 Codes that DO NOT Support Medical Necessity”


02/20/2020: At this time 21st Century Cures Act applies to new and revised LCDs which require comment and notice. This revision is to an article that is not a local coverage determination.
R3 · 2019-01-01 · v10
Revision Effective Date: 01/01/2019

CODING GUIDELINES:
 Revised: RT and/or LT modifier instructions
 ICD-10 CODES THAT ARE COVERED:
 Added: All diagnosis codes formerly listed in the LCD
 ICD-10 CODES THAT ARE NOT COVERED:
 Added: Notation excluding all unlisted diagnosis codes from coverage


02/28/2019: At this time 21st Century Cures Act applies to new and revised LCDs which require comment and notice. This revision is to an article that is not a local coverage determination.
R2 · 2017-01-01 · v6
Revision Effective Date: 01/01/2017
POLICY SPECIFIC DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS:
Added: Replacement order for heel or sole information and Modifiers requirements
RELATED LOCAL COVERAGE DOCUMENTS:
Added: LCD-related Standard Documentation Requirements Language Article
R1 · 2016-07-01 · v3
Effective July 1, 2016 oversight for DME MAC Articles is the responsibility of CGS Administrators, LLC 18003 and 17013 and Noridian Healthcare Solutions, LLC 19003 and 16013. No other changes have been made to the Articles.
Receipts for auditors

Version 30 of Article A52481, shown on this page: in force by CMS's dates 2023-11-01 onward. Archived 2026-09-26. CMS's copy · Our archived file. 5 of 5 sections are proven word-identical to the archived file.

Every archived version of Article A52481 (10 versions, CMS's dates, window by the as-of rule).

DocumentVersionIn forceArchived onVerify
Article A52481version 22015-10-01 to 2016-06-302026-09-26CMS's copy · Our archived file
Article A52481version 32016-07-01 to 2016-12-312026-09-26CMS's copy · Our archived file
Article A52481version 62017-01-01 to 2018-12-312026-09-26CMS's copy · Our archived file
Article A52481version 102019-01-01 to 2019-12-312026-09-26CMS's copy · Our archived file
Article A52481version 152020-01-01, superseded same day2026-09-26CMS's copy · Our archived file
Article A52481version 182020-01-01, superseded same day2026-09-26CMS's copy · Our archived file
Article A52481version 202020-01-01, superseded same day2026-09-26CMS's copy · Our archived file
Article A52481version 252020-01-01 to 2023-10-312026-09-26CMS's copy · Our archived file
Article A52481version 27 no generated page2023-11-01, superseded same day2026-10-09CMS's copy · Our archived file
Article A52481version 30 shown2023-11-01 to today2026-09-26CMS's copy · Our archived file

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CMS's live page shows only the current version. To check a passage by eye, open CMS's copy of the same version number. A version's window ends on the earlier of CMS's stated end date and the day before the next version starts.

Every policy word on this page is CMS's, from the archived version named beside it. Verzi adds labels, highlights, citations and links only. Verzi-written summary content on this page: none.