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HCPCS E0966 · Level II · DME code

E0966: Manual wheelchair accessory, headrest extension, each, HCPCS Level II DME code

Compiled from CMS files by the QuickIntell RCM Editorial Team · Data effective · Method: reference methodology · Report a data correction

Data currency: HCPCS Level II file: October 2026 (effective October 1, 2026); DMEPOS fee schedule: DME26-D (October 2026) (effective October 1, 2026); NCCI MUE tables: 2026 Q4 (effective October 1, 2026); NCCI PTP edits: v323r0 (2026 Q4) (effective October 1, 2026); OPPS Addendum B: October 2026 (effective October 1, 2026); Medicare Coverage Database LCD export: MCD release October 8, 2026 (effective October 4, 2026). Next CMS release: January 1, 2027 (quarterly update) for the HCPCS Level II file and DMEPOS fee schedule and NCCI MUE tables and NCCI PTP edits and OPPS Addendum B; weekly, every Thursday for the Medicare Coverage Database LCD export.

Key facts for E0966

Medicare payment
$80.73 to $91.45
DMEPOS non-rural state fees (NU)
Coverage code
C
carrier judgment, so the Medicare contractor decides coverage
DME supplier MUE
1
MAI 2
OPPS status
SI B
Non-allowed item or service for OPPS
NCCI PTP pairs
0
practitioner file
LCDs and articles
1 / 0

TL;DR

CMS describes HCPCS E0966, added in 1986, as "Manual wheelchair accessory, headrest extension, each". The October 2026 DMEPOS fee schedule (category IN, inexpensive and other routinely purchased items) sets E0966 at NU (purchased, new) $80.73 in DC, DE, MD and 3 more to $91.45 in IA, KS, MN and 4 more, rural $86.46 to $98.56; NU-KU (purchased, new) $86.46 in MD, MS, VA to $101.72 in AZ, CA, CO and 22 more (floor $86.46, ceiling $101.72); RR (rental) $8.07 in DC, DE, MD and 3 more to $9.14 in IA, KS, MN and 4 more, rural $8.54 to $9.79 (3 more modifier rows on this page). CMS caps E0966 at practitioner 0 (MAI 3, CMS Policy); hospital outpatient 1 (MAI 2, Code Descriptor / CPT Instruction); DME supplier 1 (MAI 2, Code Descriptor / CPT Instruction) units per day in the 2026 Q4 MUE tables. 1 active LCD lists E0966: L33312 (Wheelchair Seating). OPPS status indicator B: Non-allowed item or service for OPPS. HCPCS record: BETOS D1D (wheelchairs); pricing indicator 00; type of service A (used DME), P (lump-sum purchase of DME, prosthetics or orthotics), R (rental of DME). 37 other active codes open with "Manual wheelchair accessory"; related codes: E0961, E0971, E2201, E0967.

E0966 descriptor and code status

The October 2026 HCPCS Level II file describes E0966 as “Manual wheelchair accessory, headrest extension, each”. It sits in the E section (durable medical equipment), listed with the other E codes.

HCPCS file attributes of E0966
FieldValue
Short descriptorWheelchair head rest extensi
Added to HCPCS1986-01-01
Last actionN (no maintenance), effective 2004-01-01
Coverage codeC: carrier judgment, so the Medicare contractor decides coverage
Pricing indicator00: not separately priced by Part B
BETOS categoryD1D: wheelchairs
Type of serviceA: used DME; P: lump-sum purchase of DME, prosthetics or orthotics; R: rental of DME

Medicare payment for E0966

The October 2026 DMEPOS fee schedule (category IN, inexpensive and other routinely purchased items) sets E0966 at NU (purchased, new) $80.73 in DC, DE, MD and 3 more to $91.45 in IA, KS, MN and 4 more, rural $86.46 to $98.56; NU-KU (purchased, new) $86.46 in MD, MS, VA to $101.72 in AZ, CA, CO and 22 more (floor $86.46, ceiling $101.72); RR (rental) $8.07 in DC, DE, MD and 3 more to $9.14 in IA, KS, MN and 4 more, rural $8.54 to $9.79 (3 more modifier rows on this page). The amounts below are national figures from the October 2026 CMS files; the contractor applies the locality, rural or state adjustment and the beneficiary's cost sharing.

DMEPOS fee schedule (DME26-D)

Jurisdiction D (DME MAC), payment category IN (inexpensive and other routinely purchased items). Fees are set per state; AK, HI, PR and VI are not subject to the national ceiling and floor and are listed separately. A rural fee applies only in ZIP codes on the CMS rural ZIP list.

DMEPOS fees for E0966 by modifier
ModifierFloor / ceilingNon-rural state rangeRural rangeAK / HI / PR / VI
NU (purchased, new)—$80.73 (DC, DE, MD…) to $91.45 (IA, KS, MN…)$86.46 (MD, MS, VA) to $98.56 (AZ, CA, CO…)AK $135.94, HI $113.25, PR $111.65, VI $101.12
NU (purchased, new), KU (competitive bidding program 3 item)$86.46 / $101.72$86.46 (MD, MS, VA) to $101.72 (AZ, CA, CO…)—AK $171.37, HI $126.00, PR $122.80, VI $101.72
RR (rental)—$8.07 (DC, DE, MD…) to $9.14 (IA, KS, MN…)$8.54 (MS, VA) to $9.79 (AL, AR, AZ…)AK $13.60, HI $11.33, PR $12.72, VI $10.04
RR (rental), KU (competitive bidding program 3 item)$8.53 / $10.04$8.53 (MS, VA) to $10.04 (AL, AR, AZ…)—AK $17.14, HI $12.62, PR $15.37, VI $10.04
UE (purchased, used)—$60.55 (DC, DE, MD…) to $68.59 (IA, KS, MN…)$64.84 (MD, MS, VA) to $73.92 (AZ, CA, CO…)AK $101.97, HI $84.95, PR $83.75, VI $75.84
UE (purchased, used), KU (competitive bidding program 3 item)$64.84 / $76.28$64.84 (MD, MS, VA) to $76.28 (AZ, CA, CO…)—AK $128.53, HI $94.50, PR $92.10, VI $76.28

Hospital outpatient (OPPS Addendum B)

Status indicator B (Non-allowed item or service for OPPS), with no separate OPPS payment rate.

Medically Unlikely Edits for E0966

CMS caps E0966 at practitioner 0 (MAI 3, CMS Policy); hospital outpatient 1 (MAI 2, Code Descriptor / CPT Instruction); DME supplier 1 (MAI 2, Code Descriptor / CPT Instruction) units per day in the 2026 Q4 MUE tables. The DME supplier MUE is a date-of-service policy edit: units above the limit deny even when split across lines, and appeals rarely succeed.

MUE values for E0966 by setting
SettingMUE (units/DOS)MAICMS rationale
Practitioner services03 Date of Service Edit: ClinicalCMS Policy
Facility outpatient hospital12 Date of Service Edit: PolicyCode Descriptor / CPT Instruction
DME supplier12 Date of Service Edit: PolicyCode Descriptor / CPT Instruction

The MUE lookup for E0966 shows every setting next to any other code on the same claim.

NCCI edits and add-on rules

No active practitioner PTP pair lists E0966 in v323r0.

E0966 is neither an add-on code nor a designated primary code in the 2026 Q4 NCCI add-on edit file.

Pair counts show exposure, not the answer for one claim. Check E0966 against a second code to see whether the pair bundles and whether a modifier can separate the services.

Medicare coverage policies for E0966

1 active Local Coverage Determination and 0 billing and coding articles list E0966. Each applies only in its contractor's jurisdiction, and the article carries the diagnosis codes that support the item or service.

Denials to expect on E0966

CARC 50 · N115

the diagnosis or documentation does not meet the LCD or billing article that lists E0966

CARC 151 · N362

units of E0966 exceed the DME supplier MUE of 1 per date of service

CARC 4

the NU, KU, RR payment modifier is missing or does not match the item

CARC 16

the claim lacks information needed to adjudicate the line, such as an order, NPI or required modifier

Where QuickIntell fits for E0966 claims

QuickAuth coordinates the requirement checks and documentation that DME claims for E0966 depend on, with human review of each case, and QuickRCM carries claim readiness and the CARC 50, 151 and modifier denials these items draw.

See QuickAuth for requirement checksSee QuickRCM for denial follow-upBook a meeting

Frequently asked questions: HCPCS E0966

What does HCPCS code E0966 describe?

"Manual wheelchair accessory, headrest extension, each" (short descriptor "Wheelchair head rest extensi"), in the E section (durable medical equipment). Added 1986-01-01; last action N (no maintenance) effective 2004-01-01.

Is E0966 a CPT code?

It is not. E0966 belongs to the E section (durable medical equipment) of HCPCS Level II, the CMS code set, not to AMA CPT.

What does Medicare pay for E0966?

The October 2026 DMEPOS fee schedule (category IN, inexpensive and other routinely purchased items) sets E0966 at NU (purchased, new) $80.73 in DC, DE, MD and 3 more to $91.45 in IA, KS, MN and 4 more, rural $86.46 to $98.56; NU-KU (purchased, new) $86.46 in MD, MS, VA to $101.72 in AZ, CA, CO and 22 more (floor $86.46, ceiling $101.72); RR (rental) $8.07 in DC, DE, MD and 3 more to $9.14 in IA, KS, MN and 4 more, rural $8.54 to $9.79 (3 more modifier rows on this page).

How many units of E0966 can be billed per day?

CMS caps E0966 at practitioner 0 (MAI 3, CMS Policy); hospital outpatient 1 (MAI 2, Code Descriptor / CPT Instruction); DME supplier 1 (MAI 2, Code Descriptor / CPT Instruction) units per day in the 2026 Q4 MUE tables. For the DME supplier MUE (MAI 2), units above 1 deny for the whole day as a policy limit; denials arrive as CARC 151.

Does Medicare cover E0966?

Coverage code C (carrier judgment, so the Medicare contractor decides coverage). 1 active LCD lists E0966: L33312 (Wheelchair Seating).

Sources

Every figure on this page is taken from the CMS publications below, as released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Projection built 2026-10-10. Verify against the primary file before billing or contracting decisions. The reference methodology explains how each figure is computed from these files.

Disclaimer

This page is an operational reference compiled from CMS publications: the HCPCS Level II file, the physician, DMEPOS and clinical laboratory fee schedules, OPPS and ASC addenda, NCCI MUE, PTP and add-on edit tables and the Medicare Coverage Database. Amounts are Medicare national figures before locality and state adjustment; Medicaid and commercial payers set their own. CPT codes are shown as numbers only; CPT descriptors are copyright AMA. Nothing here is legal, clinical or billing advice.

Found a figure that does not match the CMS file? Report a data correction with the CMS file and the value you expected; the request reaches the editorial team through the contact form.