
Unloader Knee Brace
Unloader knee braces biomechanically address knee OA pain by creating more space between the bones of the knee joint. Most often, unloader knee braces are prescribed for those with medial compartment knee osteoarthritis, which is arthritis that affects the inner portion of the knee. Knee braces are one way to provide stability, support, and pain relief for patients with knee osteoarthritis.
An unloader knee brace is designed to lessen the pain of osteoarthritis. It unloads stress from the affected area by putting pressure at three different points on the thigh bone. This action forces the knee to bend away from the painful area. It unloads or transfers pressure from the inside of the damaged knee to the outside of the knee.
Essentially, an unloader knee brace transfers or "unloads" stress or pressure from the inside to outside part of the knee or vice versa. In other words, an unloader knee brace does exactly what its name suggests—it unloads stress from the affected joint.
IMS Experts carries a wide range of Knee Braces. Below are some of the different OA/ACL Knee Braces that we carry.
An X-ray showing osteoarthritis of the knee. SMC Images/Getty Images
Don Joy OA Lite
L1851
Osteoarthritis: mild to moderate Movement: low to average impact Activities: walking, shopping, gardening, golf
Average Medicare Reimbursement $865.95
New Options OA
L1851
Osteoarthritis: mild to moderate
Post Meniscal Repairs and
Post Micro-fracture surgery.
Average Medicare Reimbursement $865.95
The Game Changer
L1851
Highly functional low profile
Superior Offloading
Universal Sizing
Average Medicare Reimbursement $865.95
OA Single Upright Knee Brace
L1851
Mild to moderate
Exceptionally light weight, low profile
Compartmental off-loading and
Optimize pain relief.
Average Medicare Reimbursement $865.95
Lenox Hill Precision Pro Knee Brace
L1852
Moderate to severe
ACL, PCL, MCL and LCL instabilities
Increase high impact activity
Delay knee surgery
Average Medicare Reimbursement $840.77
SecuTec® Genu
L1852
Instabilities after rupturing the anterior and/or posterior cruciate ligament (ACL/PCL)
After ligament surgery/syndesmoplasty
Complex instabilities (traumatic, degenerative)
Average Medicare Reimbursement $840.77

OA Knee Brace Medicare LCD for L1851
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Beneficiary has had a recent injury or a surgical procedure on the knee(s), or
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Covered for a beneficiary who is ambulatory and has knee instability due to a condition specified in the ICD-10 Codes that Support Medical Necessity Group 4 Codes section.
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Knee instability must be documented by examination of the beneficiary and objective description of joint laxity (e.g., varus/valgus instability, anterior/posterior Drawer test).
Claims for OA Knee Brace L1851 will be denied as not reasonable and necessary when the beneficiary does not meet the above criteria for coverage. For example, they will be denied if only pain or a subjective description of joint instability is documented.
To view a complete list of ICD-10 codes covered click here.
Double Upright Knee Brace Medicare LCD for L1852
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Beneficiary has had a recent injury or a surgical procedure on the knee(s), or
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Covered for a beneficiary who is ambulatory and has knee instability due to a condition specified in the ICD-10 Codes that Support Medical Necessity Group 4 Codes section.
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Knee instability must be documented by examination of the beneficiary and objective description of joint laxity (e.g., varus/valgus instability, anterior/posterior Drawer test).
Claims for OA Knee Brace L1852 will be denied as not reasonable and necessary when the beneficiary does not meet the above criteria for coverage. For example, they will be denied if only pain or a subjective description of joint instability is documented.
To view a complete list of ICD-10 codes covered click here.