E0961 — Manual wheelchair accessory, wheel lock brake extension (handle), each
E0961 is a HCPCS Level II code for manual wheelchair accessory, wheel lock brake extension (handle), each. It belongs to the Durable Medical Equipment 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 E0961 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 · Code Descriptor / CPT Instruction
- DME supplier
- 2 units MAI 2 — Date of Service Edit: Policy · Code Descriptor / CPT Instruction
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 E0961
- Long descriptor
- Manual wheelchair accessory, wheel lock brake extension (handle), each
- Short descriptor
- Wheelchair brake extension
- Added
- January 1, 1986
- BETOS
- D1D
- Pricing indicator
- 00 — Not priced by Part B
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.
Service not separately priced by Part B — not covered, bundled into another service, or used by Part A only.
Codes adjacent to E0961
HCPCS has no hierarchy — related items simply sit next to each other in the numbering. If E0961 is not quite right, the correct code is very often within a few positions of it.
- E0953Wheelchair accessory, lateral thigh or knee support, any type including fixed mounting hardware, each
- E0954Wheelchair accessory, foot box, any type, includes attachment and mounting hardware, each foot
- E0955Wheelchair accessory, headrest, cushioned, any type, including fixed mounting hardware, each
- E0956Wheelchair accessory, lateral trunk or hip support, any type, including fixed mounting hardware, each
- E0957Wheelchair accessory, medial thigh support, any type, including fixed mounting hardware, each
- E0958Manual wheelchair accessory, one-arm drive attachment, each
- E0959Manual wheelchair accessory, adapter for amputee, each
- E0960Wheelchair accessory, shoulder harness/straps or chest strap, including any type mounting hardware
- E0966Manual wheelchair accessory, headrest extension, each
- E0967Manual wheelchair accessory, hand rim with projections, any type, replacement only, each
- E0968Commode seat, wheelchair
- E0969Narrowing device, wheelchair
- E0970No. 2 footplates, except for elevating leg rest
- E0971Manual wheelchair accessory, anti-tipping device, each
- E0973Wheelchair accessory, adjustable height, detachable armrest, complete assembly, each
- E0974Manual wheelchair accessory, anti-rollback device, each
Questions about E0961
What is HCPCS code E0961?
E0961 is a HCPCS Level II code for manual wheelchair accessory, wheel lock brake extension (handle), each. It sits in the Durable Medical Equipment section.
Does Medicare cover E0961?
The CMS HCPCS file marks E0961 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.