Key facts for E0978
- Medicare payment
- $27.72 to $31.20
- DMEPOS non-rural state fees (NU)
- Coverage code
- C
- carrier judgment, so the Medicare contractor decides coverage
- DME supplier MUE
- 1
- MAI 3
- NCCI PTP pairs
- 0
- practitioner file
- LCDs and articles
- 1 / 0
TL;DR
CMS describes HCPCS E0978, added in 1986, as "Wheelchair accessory, positioning belt/safety belt/pelvic strap, each". The October 2026 DMEPOS fee schedule (category IN, inexpensive and other routinely purchased items) sets E0978 at NU (purchased, new) $27.72 in AZ, NM, OK and 1 more to $31.20 in CO, ID, MT and 2 more, rural $38.75 to $42.68; NU-KE (purchased, new) no state fee, rural $41.98 to $46.48; NU-KU (purchased, new) $44.58 in AL, AR, CA and 7 more to $52.45 in CT, DC, DE and 22 more (floor $44.58, ceiling $52.45) (6 more modifier rows on this page). CMS caps E0978 at practitioner 0 (MAI 3, CMS Policy); hospital outpatient 1 (MAI 3, Nature of Equipment); DME supplier 1 (MAI 3, Nature of Equipment) units per day in the 2026 Q4 MUE tables. 1 active LCD lists E0978: L33792 (Wheelchair Options/Accessories). OPPS status indicator B: Non-allowed item or service for OPPS. HCPCS record: BETOS D1D (wheelchairs); pricing indicator 32; type of service A (used DME), P (lump-sum purchase of DME, prosthetics or orthotics), R (rental of DME). 44 other active codes open with "Wheelchair accessory"; related codes: E0973, E0990, E0995, E0960.
E0978 descriptor and code status
The October 2026 HCPCS Level II file describes E0978 as “Wheelchair accessory, positioning belt/safety belt/pelvic strap, each”. It sits in the E section (durable medical equipment), listed with the other E codes. Although searches often call it the "E0978 CPT code", E0978 is a HCPCS Level II code maintained by CMS, not an AMA CPT code; both go in the same procedure-code field on the claim.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Short descriptor | W/c acc,saf belt pelv strap |
| Added to HCPCS | 1986-01-01 |
| Last action | N (no maintenance), effective 2005-01-01 |
| Coverage code | C: carrier judgment, so the Medicare contractor decides coverage |
| Pricing indicator | 32: DMEPOS inexpensive and routinely purchased DME (floors and ceilings) |
| BETOS category | D1D: wheelchairs |
| Type of service | A: used DME; P: lump-sum purchase of DME, prosthetics or orthotics; R: rental of DME |
Medicare payment for E0978
The October 2026 DMEPOS fee schedule (category IN, inexpensive and other routinely purchased items) sets E0978 at NU (purchased, new) $27.72 in AZ, NM, OK and 1 more to $31.20 in CO, ID, MT and 2 more, rural $38.75 to $42.68; NU-KE (purchased, new) no state fee, rural $41.98 to $46.48; NU-KU (purchased, new) $44.58 in AL, AR, CA and 7 more to $52.45 in CT, DC, DE and 22 more (floor $44.58, ceiling $52.45) (6 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.
| Modifier | Floor / ceiling | Non-rural state range | Rural range | AK / HI / PR / VI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NU (purchased, new) | — | $27.72 (AZ, NM, OK…) to $31.20 (CO, ID, MT…) | $38.75 (AL, AR, CA…) to $42.68 (CT, DC, DE…) | AK $44.11, HI $48.77, PR $50.65, VI $42.69 |
| NU (purchased, new), KE (competitive bid round 1, non-bid base equipment) | — | — | $41.98 (AL, AR, CA…) to $46.48 (CT, DC, DE…) | AK $48.11, HI $53.45, PR $55.61, VI $46.49 |
| NU (purchased, new), KU (competitive bidding program 3 item) | $44.58 / $52.45 | $44.58 (AL, AR, CA…) to $52.45 (CT, DC, DE…) | — | AK $55.28, HI $64.62, PR $68.39, VI $52.45 |
| RR (rental) | — | $2.77 (AZ, NM, OK…) to $3.12 (CO, ID, MT…) | $3.88 (AL, AR, CA…) to $4.27 (AZ, CT, DC…) | AK $4.41, HI $4.89, PR $5.90, VI $4.27 |
| RR (rental), KE (competitive bid round 1, non-bid base equipment) | — | — | $4.20 (AL, AR, CA…) to $4.65 (AZ, CT, DC…) | AK $4.81, HI $5.37, PR $6.51, VI $4.65 |
| RR (rental), KU (competitive bidding program 3 item) | $4.47 / $5.26 | $4.47 (AL, AR, CA…) to $5.26 (AZ, CT, DC…) | — | AK $5.53, HI $6.52, PR $8.48, VI $5.26 |
| UE (purchased, used) | — | $20.79 (AZ, NM, OK…) to $23.40 (CO, ID, MT…) | $28.88 (AL, AR, CA…) to $31.79 (CT, DC, DE…) | AK $33.08, HI $36.57, PR $37.98, VI $31.79 |
| UE (purchased, used), KE (competitive bid round 1, non-bid base equipment) | — | — | $31.27 (AL, AR, CA…) to $34.61 (CT, DC, DE…) | AK $36.09, HI $40.08, PR $41.70, VI $34.61 |
| UE (purchased, used), KU (competitive bidding program 3 item) | $33.04 / $38.87 | $33.04 (AL, AR, CA…) to $38.87 (CT, DC, DE…) | — | AK $41.48, HI $48.45, PR $51.27, VI $38.87 |
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 E0978
CMS caps E0978 at practitioner 0 (MAI 3, CMS Policy); hospital outpatient 1 (MAI 3, Nature of Equipment); DME supplier 1 (MAI 3, Nature of Equipment) units per day in the 2026 Q4 MUE tables. The DME supplier MUE is a date-of-service clinical edit: units above the limit deny but can be paid on appeal with documentation.
| Setting | MUE (units/DOS) | MAI | CMS rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practitioner services | 0 | 3 Date of Service Edit: Clinical | CMS Policy |
| Facility outpatient hospital | 1 | 3 Date of Service Edit: Clinical | Nature of Equipment |
| DME supplier | 1 | 3 Date of Service Edit: Clinical | Nature of Equipment |
The MUE lookup for E0978 shows every setting next to any other code on the same claim.
NCCI edits and add-on rules
No active practitioner PTP pair lists E0978 in v323r0.
E0978 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 E0978 against a second code to see whether the pair bundles and whether a modifier can separate the services.
Medicare coverage policies for E0978
1 active Local Coverage Determination and 0 billing and coding articles list E0978. Each applies only in its contractor's jurisdiction, and the article carries the diagnosis codes that support the item or service.
- Wheelchair Options/Accessories (L33792) · CGS Administrators, LLC; Noridian Healthcare Solutions, LLC
Denials to expect on E0978
the diagnosis or documentation does not meet the LCD or billing article that lists E0978
the NU, KE, KU payment modifier is missing or does not match the item
the claim lacks information needed to adjudicate the line, such as an order, NPI or required modifier
Where QuickIntell fits for E0978 claims
QuickAuth coordinates the requirement checks and documentation that DME claims for E0978 depend on, with human review of each case, and QuickRCM carries claim readiness and the CARC 50, 151 and modifier denials these items draw.
Frequently asked questions: HCPCS E0978
What does HCPCS code E0978 describe?
"Wheelchair accessory, positioning belt/safety belt/pelvic strap, each" (short descriptor "W/c acc,saf belt pelv strap"), in the E section (durable medical equipment). Added 1986-01-01; last action N (no maintenance) effective 2005-01-01.
Is E0978 a CPT code?
It is not. E0978 belongs to the E section (durable medical equipment) of HCPCS Level II, the CMS code set, not to AMA CPT. "E0978 CPT code" searches refer to it.
What does Medicare pay for E0978?
The October 2026 DMEPOS fee schedule (category IN, inexpensive and other routinely purchased items) sets E0978 at NU (purchased, new) $27.72 in AZ, NM, OK and 1 more to $31.20 in CO, ID, MT and 2 more, rural $38.75 to $42.68; NU-KE (purchased, new) no state fee, rural $41.98 to $46.48; NU-KU (purchased, new) $44.58 in AL, AR, CA and 7 more to $52.45 in CT, DC, DE and 22 more (floor $44.58, ceiling $52.45) (6 more modifier rows on this page).
How many units of E0978 can be billed per day?
CMS caps E0978 at practitioner 0 (MAI 3, CMS Policy); hospital outpatient 1 (MAI 3, Nature of Equipment); DME supplier 1 (MAI 3, Nature of Equipment) units per day in the 2026 Q4 MUE tables. For the DME supplier MUE (MAI 3), units above 1 deny for the day but can be paid on appeal with documentation; denials arrive as CARC 151.
Does Medicare cover E0978?
Coverage code C (carrier judgment, so the Medicare contractor decides coverage). 1 active LCD lists E0978: L33792 (Wheelchair Options/Accessories).
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.
- HCPCS Level II alpha-numeric file, October 2026Version October 2026 · effective 2026-10-01 · file HCPC2026_OCT_ANWEB_09232026.txtSHA-256 c25240c63108756d…
- DMEPOS fee schedule DME26-D, October 2026Version DME26-D (October 2026) · effective 2026-10-01 · file DMEPOS_OCT.csvSHA-256 a2824d58aadf4004…
- OPPS Addendum B, October 2026Version October 2026 · effective 2026-10-01 · file 508-compliant-version-2026_October_Web_Addendum_B.09.28.26.csvSHA-256 6ad7393a318bf1b9…
- Integrated Outpatient Code Editor v27.3 data tables: status and payment indicatorsVersion I/OCE v27.3 (October 2026) · effective 2026-10-01 · file Data_Status_Indicator.txtSHA-256 78f119ef0a435351…
- NCCI MUE table, practitioner services, effective 2026-10-01Version 2026 Q4 · effective 2026-10-01 · file MCR_MUE_PractitionerServices_Eff_10-01-2026.csvSHA-256 ef038efaf902b7bd…
- NCCI MUE table, facility services, effective 2026-10-01Version 2026 Q4 · effective 2026-10-01 · file MCR_MUE_OutpatientHospitalServices_Eff_10-01-2026.csvSHA-256 3af9f4e99cc587e2…
- NCCI MUE table, dme services, effective 2026-10-01Version 2026 Q4 · effective 2026-10-01 · file MCR_MUE_DMESupplierServices_Eff_10-01-2026.csvSHA-256 6fa4fbba852f7b74…
- NCCI PTP edits, practitioner, v323r0 (four files)Version v323r0 (2026 Q4) · effective 2026-10-01 · file ccipra-v323r0-f1.TXTSHA-256 7793c0b6686c1e22…
- Medicare Coverage Database, current LCD exportVersion MCD release 2026-10-08 · effective 2026-10-04 · file lcd.csvSHA-256 9aee1bd7f14056b0…
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.