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Billing code L0160 · Equipment & supplies

L0160 Medicaid reimbursement rate by state (2026)

Cervical, semi-rigid. Medicaid pays a median of $148.48 for L0160 across 48 states, from $76.48 in California to $239.97 in Maine.

Data as of Oct 5, 202648 statesEvery rate links to its official source

States publishing
48
National median
$148.48units vary by state
Lowest
$76.48California
Highest
$239.97Maine
Answer

What does Medicaid pay for L0160?

48 state Medicaid programs publish a fee-for-service rate for L0160. The national median is $148.48 (units differ between states). Maine pays the most, $239.97, and California the least, $76.48, a 3.1x spread.

State ranking

L0160 rate by state: highest, middle and lowest

One like-for-like fee-for-service rate per state, ranked. The workspace lists all 48 states with every variant, modifier and effective date.

#StateMedicaid rateUnitPer hourManaged-care plans% of Medicare
1Maine Source · since 2026-01-01$239.97——Not classified—
2New Mexico Source · since 2025-01-01$235.26——Plans must pay at least this—
3Hawaii Source · since 2026-06-01$214.39——Plans negotiate; applies out of network—
24Maryland Source · since 2026-01-01$152.98——Not classified—
25West Virginia Source · since 2026-04-01$143.98——Plans must pay at least this—
26District of Columbia Source · since 2026-04-01$143.98——Not classified—
47New York Source · since 2022-06-01$80.30——Plans negotiate; applies out of network—
48California Source · since 2026-10-01$76.48——Plans negotiate; applies out of network—
See all 48 states for L0160 — start free

40 more states, with every modifier and provider-type variant, rate history and the plan rule in each state. 14-day free trial, no credit card.

  • Source for every rate
  • Full rate history
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Rates are per the unit shown for each state; units can differ between states. Medicare amounts are computed from the CMS relative value file and locality cost indices; states with several Medicare localities show a range. Confirm rates with the payer before billing.

Track L0160 in your states. Get an alert when any state changes it, with every variant and the managed-care rule.
Guide

How to read this table

  • Order. States are listed from the highest published rate to the lowest. No single unit is shared by 8 or more states for L0160, so the order is by published amount and is not a like-for-like rank.
  • Medicaid rate. The most the state's fee-for-service program pays for one unit, as published. 17 of the 48 states list more than one rate for L0160, by modifier, provider type or setting; the table shows the one that matches the provider level and setting used across states, without add-ons.
  • Unit. Of the 48 states, 2 publish L0160 per unit, and 46 schedules print no unit at all (a flat amount per service).
  • Per hour. L0160 is not billed in time units in these states, so no hourly figure is shown.
  • Managed-care plans. The rule the state sets for its plans on this rate. What each rule means is explained below.
  • % of Medicare. No Medicare physician fee schedule amount is on file for L0160, so there is no percentage.
  • Source and date. Each Source link opens the state's own document; “since” is the date the rate took effect.
Context

Why L0160 rates differ between states

Published rates for L0160 run from $76.48 in California to $239.97 in Maine, a 3.1x gap in the same unit. Half the states pay more than the median of $148.48 and half pay less. The usual reasons for a spread like this in equipment & supplies rates:

  • Some items are priced individually from the manufacturer's price or the supplier's invoice, so fewer states publish a fixed fee.
  • Many states set equipment and supply fees as a percentage of the Medicare DMEPOS fee schedule, at different percentages and from different years.
  • A single code can carry separate purchase, rental and used-equipment amounts, and states publish different subsets of them.

Timing matters too. 27 states set the current rate for L0160 in 2026 or later, while 15 states still pay a rate that took effect in 2022 or earlier. A state that has not updated its rate in years will drift down the ranking as others raise theirs.

Managed care

What managed-care plans pay for L0160

Most Medicaid members are in managed-care plans, and plans don't publish their provider fee schedules. For L0160, the public signal is the rule each state sets for its plans, recorded on each rate above.

In 10 states, the published rate binds plans: a floor, a pass-through or a state-set rate. In 23 states, plans negotiate and the published rate is a benchmark or out-of-network default. The rule for the remaining 15 states is not classified yet.

  • Plans negotiate; the published rate applies out of network (23 states). In-network rates can be above or below the published rate. The published rate is the benchmark both sides know, and the fallback if no contract is signed.
  • Plans must pay at least the published rate (8 states). The published rate is your floor. Negotiate up from it, and if a plan pays less, the contract provision is the basis for a payment dispute.
  • The state sets the plan rate (2 states). There is little to negotiate on price. Contracting is about network participation, authorization and billing terms.

Plan-negotiated rates are never estimated here. To see the rule and its citation for a particular state, open that state's managed-care page, for example Maine managed care.

Billing

Units and billing for L0160

L0160 is a HCPCS Level II orthotic and prosthetic code in the equipment & supplies line, billed mostly by durable medical equipment suppliers, orthotists, prosthetists and pharmacies. L codes cover orthotic and prosthetic devices. Each is paid per device, and some are priced individually from the supplier's invoice.

Pricing modifiers decide which amount applies: NU for a new purchase, RR for a monthly rental and UE for used equipment. Units follow the code: per item, per pair, per box or per month of rental, so a per-unit comparison only holds when the states use the same unit.

Before billing, confirm the rate, unit and any modifier with the state's current schedule or the plan: the amounts here are as published, not a guarantee of payment.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What does Medicaid pay for L0160?

It depends on the state. Of the 48 states with a published fee-for-service rate, the median is $148.48. Maine pays the most ($239.97) and California the least ($76.48).

Which state pays the highest Medicaid rate for L0160?

Maine, at $239.97, effective 2026-01-01.

Which state pays the lowest Medicaid rate for L0160?

California, at $76.48, effective 2026-10-01.

What unit is L0160 billed in?

Of the 48 states, 2 publish L0160 per unit, and 46 schedules print no unit at all (a flat amount per service).

Do managed-care plans pay the same rate for L0160?

Not necessarily. In 10 states, the published rate binds plans: a floor, a pass-through or a state-set rate. In 23 states, plans negotiate and the published rate is a benchmark or out-of-network default. The rule for the remaining 15 states is not classified yet. Each rule is cited to the plan contract, statute or notice in the workspace.