L0978 — Axillary crutch extension
L0978 is a HCPCS Level II code for axillary crutch extension. 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 L0978 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 L0978
- Long descriptor
- Axillary crutch extension
- Short descriptor
- Axillary crutch extension
- 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 L0978
HCPCS has no hierarchy — related items simply sit next to each other in the numbering. If L0978 is not quite right, the correct code is very often within a few positions of it.
- L0820Halo procedure, cervical halo incorporated into plaster body jacket
- L0830Halo procedure, cervical halo incorporated into milwaukee type orthosis
- L0859Addition to halo procedure, magnetic resonance image compatible systems, rings and pins, any material
- L0861Addition to halo procedure, replacement liner/interface material
- L0970Tlso, corset front
- L0972Lso, corset front
- L0974Tlso, full corset
- L0976Lso, full corset
- L0980Peroneal straps, prefabricated, off-the-shelf, pair
- L0982Stocking supporter grips, prefabricated, off-the-shelf, set of four (4)
- L0984Protective body sock, prefabricated, off-the-shelf, each
- L0999Addition to spinal orthosis, not otherwise specified
- L1000Cervical-thoracic-lumbar-sacral orthosis (ctlso) (milwaukee), inclusive of furnishing initial orthosis, including model
- L1001Cervical thoracic lumbar sacral orthosis, immobilizer, infant size, prefabricated, includes fitting and adjustment
- L1005Tension based scoliosis orthosis and accessory pads, includes fitting and adjustment
- L1006Scoliosis orthosis, sagittal-coronal control provided by a rigid lateral frame, extends from axilla to trochanter, includes all accessory pads, straps and interface, prefabricated item that has been trimmed, bent, molded, assembled, or otherwise customized to fit a specific patient by an individual with expertise
Questions about L0978
What is HCPCS code L0978?
L0978 is a HCPCS Level II code for axillary crutch extension. It sits in the Orthotic and Prosthetic Procedures and Devices section.
Does Medicare cover L0978?
The CMS HCPCS file marks L0978 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.