L1980 — Ankle foot orthosis, single upright free plantar dorsiflexion, solid stirrup, calf band/cuff (single bar 'bk' orthosis), custom fabricated
L1980 is a HCPCS Level II code for ankle foot orthosis, single upright free plantar dorsiflexion, solid stirrup, calf band/cuff (single bar 'bk' orthosis), custom fabricated. It belongs to the Orthotic and Prosthetic Procedures and Devices section. Whether Medicare pays it depends on the coverage rule below.
Medicare coverage: Carrier judgment
Coverage is decided by your Medicare contractor, not by national policy. Whether this is paid depends on the LCD for your jurisdiction and on what the documentation supports.
From the coverage field of the CMS Alpha-Numeric HCPCS File, release 2026Q3-Jul. This states Medicare’s position on the code, not on your particular claim.
Medically Unlikely Edits — units per day
The most units of L1980 Medicare will pay on one date of service. Bill more on a single line and it is denied. The limit is not the same in every setting, so the row that matters is the one matching the claim you are building.
- practitioner
- 0 — never payable MAI 3 — Date of Service Edit: Clinical · CMS Policy
- outpatient
- 2 units MAI 2 — Date of Service Edit: Policy · Anatomic Consideration
- DME supplier
- 2 units MAI 2 — Date of Service Edit: Policy · Anatomic Consideration
The adjudication indicator decides whether exceeding the limit is worth appealing at all: MAI 1 is a line edit you can support with documentation, MAI 3 is a date-of-service edit that is also appealable, and MAI 2 is absolute — no documentation overrides it. CMS MUE 2026Q3.
The CMS record for L1980
- Long descriptor
- Ankle foot orthosis, single upright free plantar dorsiflexion, solid stirrup, calf band/cuff (single bar 'bk' orthosis), custom fabricated
- Short descriptor
- Afo sing solid stirrup calf
- Added
- January 1, 1982
- BETOS
- D1F
- Pricing indicator
- 38 — DMEPOS
The official wording. This is what the code means.
CMS's 28-character form, which is what shows up on a remittance advice.
When CMS introduced the code.
Berenson-Eggers Type of Service — CMS's own analytic grouping.
Orthotics, prosthetics, prosthetic devices and vision services. Price subject to floors and ceilings.
Codes adjacent to L1980
HCPCS has no hierarchy — related items simply sit next to each other in the numbering. If L1980 is not quite right, the correct code is very often within a few positions of it.
- L1940Ankle foot orthosis, plastic or other material, custom fabricated
- L1945Ankle foot orthosis, plastic, rigid anterior tibial section (floor reaction), custom fabricated
- L1950Ankle foot orthosis, spiral, (institute of rehabilitative medicine type), plastic, custom fabricated
- L1951Ankle foot orthosis, spiral, (institute of rehabilitative medicine type), plastic or other material, prefabricated item that has been trimmed, bent, molded, assembled, or otherwise customized to fit a specific patient by an individual with expertise
- L1952Ankle foot orthosis, spiral, (institute of rehabilitative medicine type), plastic or other material, prefabricated, off-the-shelf
- L1960Ankle foot orthosis, posterior solid ankle, plastic, custom fabricated
- L1970Ankle foot orthosis, plastic with ankle joint, custom fabricated
- L1971Ankle foot orthosis, plastic or other material with ankle joint, with or without dorsiflexion assist, prefabricated, includes fitting and adjustment
- L1990Ankle foot orthosis, double upright free plantar dorsiflexion, solid stirrup, calf band/cuff (double bar 'bk' orthosis), custom fabricated
- L2000Knee ankle foot orthosis, single upright, free knee, free ankle, solid stirrup, thigh and calf bands/cuffs (single bar 'ak' orthosis), custom fabricated
- L2005Knee ankle foot orthosis, any material, single or double upright, stance control, automatic lock and swing phase release, any type activation, includes ankle joint, any type, custom fabricated
- L2006Knee ankle foot device, any material, single or double upright, swing and stance phase microprocessor control with adjustability, includes all components (e.g., sensors, batteries, charger), any type activation, with or without ankle joint(s), custom fabricated
- L2010Knee ankle foot orthosis, single upright, free ankle, solid stirrup, thigh and calf bands/cuffs (single bar 'ak' orthosis), without knee joint, custom fabricated
- L2020Knee ankle foot orthosis, double upright, free ankle, solid stirrup, thigh and calf bands/cuffs (double bar 'ak' orthosis), custom fabricated
- L2030Knee ankle foot orthosis, double upright, free ankle, solid stirrup, thigh and calf bands/cuffs, (double bar 'ak' orthosis), without knee joint, custom fabricated
- L2034Knee ankle foot orthosis, full plastic, single upright, with or without free motion knee, medial lateral rotation control, with or without free motion ankle, custom fabricated
Questions about L1980
What is HCPCS code L1980?
L1980 is a HCPCS Level II code for ankle foot orthosis, single upright free plantar dorsiflexion, solid stirrup, calf band/cuff (single bar 'bk' orthosis), custom fabricated. It sits in the Orthotic and Prosthetic Procedures and Devices section.
Does Medicare cover L1980?
The CMS HCPCS file marks L1980 as "Carrier judgment". Coverage is decided by your Medicare contractor, not by national policy. Whether this is paid depends on the LCD for your jurisdiction and on what the documentation supports.