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HCPCS L1681 · Level II · orthotic and prosthetic code

L1681: Hip orthosis, bilateral hip joints and thigh cuffs, adjustable flexion, extension, HCPCS Level II orthotic and prosthetic 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). Next CMS release: January 1, 2027 (quarterly update).

Key facts for L1681

Medicare payment
$2,096.44 to $2,795.26
DMEPOS non-rural state fees
Coverage code
C
carrier judgment, so the Medicare contractor decides coverage
DME supplier MUE
1
MAI 2
OPPS status
SI A
Services not paid under OPPS; paid under fee schedule or other payment system
NCCI PTP pairs
0
practitioner file
LCDs and articles
0 / 0

TL;DR

CMS describes HCPCS L1681, added in 2023, as "Hip orthosis, bilateral hip joints and thigh cuffs, adjustable flexion, extension, abduction control of hip joint, postoperative hip abduction type, prefabricated item that has been trimmed, bent, molded, assembled, or otherwise customized to fit a specific patient by an individual with expertise". DMEPOS fees for L1681, a PO (prosthetics and orthotics) item, run $2,096.44 in AR, IA, KS and 6 more to $2,795.26 in AZ, CA, NJ and 2 more in the October 2026 file. Its 2026 Q4 MUEs per date of service: DME supplier 1 (MAI 2, Code Descriptor / CPT Instruction). No current LCD or billing article lists L1681; its HCPCS coverage code is C (carrier judgment, so the Medicare contractor decides coverage). OPPS status indicator A: Services not paid under OPPS; paid under fee schedule or other payment system. HCPCS record: BETOS D1F (prosthetic/orthotic devices); pricing indicator 38; type of service P (lump-sum purchase of DME, prosthetics or orthotics). 12 other active codes open with "Hip orthosis"; related codes: L1686, L1660, L1630, L1620.

L1681 descriptor and code status

The October 2026 HCPCS Level II file describes L1681 as “Hip orthosis, bilateral hip joints and thigh cuffs, adjustable flexion, extension, abduction control of hip joint, postoperative hip abduction type, prefabricated item that has been trimmed, bent, molded, assembled, or otherwise customized to fit a specific patient by an individual with expertise”. It sits in the L section (orthotic and prosthetic procedures and devices), listed with the other L codes.

HCPCS file attributes of L1681
FieldValue
Short descriptorHo bilateral hip abduction
Added to HCPCS2023-10-01
Last actionN (no maintenance), effective 2023-10-01
Coverage codeC: carrier judgment, so the Medicare contractor decides coverage
Pricing indicator38: DMEPOS orthotics, prosthetics, prosthetic devices and vision services (floors and ceilings)
BETOS categoryD1F: prosthetic/orthotic devices
Type of serviceP: lump-sum purchase of DME, prosthetics or orthotics

Medicare payment for L1681

DMEPOS fees for L1681, a PO (prosthetics and orthotics) item, run $2,096.44 in AR, IA, KS and 6 more to $2,795.26 in AZ, CA, NJ and 2 more in the October 2026 file. 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 PO (prosthetics and orthotics). 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 L1681 by modifier
ModifierFloor / ceilingNon-rural state rangeRural rangeAK / HI / PR / VI
none—$2,096.44 (AR, IA, KS…) to $2,795.26 (AZ, CA, NJ…)—AK $3,237.30, HI $3,461.66, PR $3,045.74, VI $2,795.26

Hospital outpatient (OPPS Addendum B)

Status indicator A (Services not paid under OPPS; paid under fee schedule or other payment system), with no separate OPPS payment rate.

Medically Unlikely Edits for L1681

Its 2026 Q4 MUEs per date of service: DME supplier 1 (MAI 2, Code Descriptor / CPT Instruction). 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 L1681 by setting
SettingMUE (units/DOS)MAICMS rationale
DME supplier12 Date of Service Edit: PolicyCode Descriptor / CPT Instruction

The MUE lookup for L1681 shows every setting next to any other code on the same claim.

NCCI edits and add-on rules

No active practitioner PTP pair lists L1681 in v323r0.

L1681 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 L1681 against a second code to see whether the pair bundles and whether a modifier can separate the services.

Medicare coverage policies for L1681

No current LCD or billing and coding article lists L1681. The HCPCS coverage code C means carrier judgment, so the Medicare contractor decides coverage, and any National Coverage Determination for the service still applies.

Denials to expect on L1681

CARC 50 · N115

the service is not reasonable and necessary for the diagnosis on the claim

CARC 151 · N362

units of L1681 exceed the DME supplier MUE of 1 per date of service

CARC 4

the modifier reported is inconsistent with the code

CARC 16

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

Where QuickIntell fits for L1681 claims

QuickAuth coordinates the requirement checks and documentation that DME claims for L1681 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 L1681

What does HCPCS code L1681 describe?

"Hip orthosis, bilateral hip joints and thigh cuffs, adjustable flexion, extension, abduction control of hip joint, postoperative hip abduction type, prefabricated item that has been trimmed, bent, molded, assembled, or otherwise customized to fit a specific patient by an individual with expertise" (short descriptor "Ho bilateral hip abduction"), in the L section (orthotic and prosthetic procedures and devices). Added 2023-10-01.

Is L1681 a CPT code?

No. L1681 is a CMS HCPCS Level II code; CPT codes are the AMA's five-character set.

What does Medicare pay for L1681?

DMEPOS fees for L1681, a PO (prosthetics and orthotics) item, run $2,096.44 in AR, IA, KS and 6 more to $2,795.26 in AZ, CA, NJ and 2 more in the October 2026 file.

How many units of L1681 can be billed per day?

Its 2026 Q4 MUEs per date of service: DME supplier 1 (MAI 2, Code Descriptor / CPT Instruction). 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 L1681?

No current LCD or billing article lists L1681; its HCPCS coverage code is C (carrier judgment, so the Medicare contractor decides coverage).

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.