L2820 — Addition to lower extremity orthosis, soft interface for molded plastic, below knee section
L2820 is a HCPCS Level II code for addition to lower extremity orthosis, soft interface for molded plastic, below knee section. 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 L2820 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 3 — Date of Service Edit: Clinical · Anatomic Consideration
- DME supplier
- 2 units MAI 3 — Date of Service Edit: Clinical · 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 L2820
- Long descriptor
- Addition to lower extremity orthosis, soft interface for molded plastic, below knee section
- Short descriptor
- Soft interface below knee se
- Added
- January 1, 1988
- 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 L2820
HCPCS has no hierarchy — related items simply sit next to each other in the numbering. If L2820 is not quite right, the correct code is very often within a few positions of it.
- L2755Addition to lower extremity orthosis, high strength, lightweight material, all hybrid lamination/prepreg composite, per segment, for custom fabricated orthosis only
- L2760Addition to lower extremity orthosis, extension, per extension, per bar (for lineal adjustment for growth)
- L2768Orthotic side bar disconnect device, per bar
- L2780Addition to lower extremity orthosis, non-corrosive finish, per bar
- L2785Addition to lower extremity orthosis, drop lock retainer, each
- L2795Addition to lower extremity orthosis, knee control, full kneecap
- L2800Addition to lower extremity orthosis, knee control, knee cap, medial or lateral pull, for use with custom fabricated orthosis only
- L2810Addition to lower extremity orthosis, knee control, condylar pad
- L2830Addition to lower extremity orthosis, soft interface for molded plastic, above knee section
- L2840Addition to lower extremity orthosis, tibial length sock, fracture or equal, each
- L2850Addition to lower extremity orthosis, femoral length sock, fracture or equal, each
- L2861Addition to lower extremity joint, knee or ankle, concentric adjustable torsion style mechanism for custom fabricated orthotics only, each
- L2999Lower extremity orthoses, not otherwise specified
- L3000Foot, insert, removable, molded to patient model, 'ucb' type, berkeley shell, each
- L3001Foot, insert, removable, molded to patient model, spenco, each
- L3002Foot, insert, removable, molded to patient model, plastazote or equal, each
Questions about L2820
What is HCPCS code L2820?
L2820 is a HCPCS Level II code for addition to lower extremity orthosis, soft interface for molded plastic, below knee section. It sits in the Orthotic and Prosthetic Procedures and Devices section.
Does Medicare cover L2820?
The CMS HCPCS file marks L2820 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.