Eli's Rehab Report

Question: Does Medicare reimburse Unna boots for venous insufficiency or any other diagnosis? I am in an outpatient hospital setting.

Georgia Subscriber

Answer: The answer depends on what your Medicare fiscal intermediary has to say. Georgia's FI, Mutual of Omaha, does list Unna boot strapping (29580, Strapping; Unna boot) in its local coverage determination. But if you bill this code, your documentation must support medical necessity of the patient requiring an Unna boot.

In addition, your documentation should note the patient's medical history and provide a detailed description of the ulcer, such as size, depth, color, odor, etc., due to the venous insufficiency.

Tip: If you're providing bilateral Unna boots, you can bill two units of 29580 -- but you may need to use modifier 50 (Bilateral procedure) on the claim form.

Note: To see the full coverage determination, go to www.cms.hhs.gov/mcd/viewlcd.asp?lcd_id=2695&lcd version=17&show=all.