Is a therapy machine with no code covered by insurance?
Usually no. Most plans treat these devices as unproven and pay nothing. Code 97039 is the catch all line for a machine treatment that has no code of its own, like a laser, a decompression table or a vibration unit. Every claim has to spell out what the device was, how long it ran, and what it costs.
Rarely
Unlisted code, reviewed by hand
Hand reviewed
Unlisted codes do not process automatically. A person reads the description, compares it to the plan policy, and usually finds an exclusion waiting.
Not 97139
97039 is for machines and devices. 97139 is the unlisted hands on procedure. Sending the wrong one guarantees a rejection before anyone reads the note.
Say what it was
The claim needs the device name, the body area and the minutes when the provider stayed. An unlisted line with no description comes back unprocessed.
Collect up front
Because payment is unlikely, most offices quote this as cash. Running the check first shows plan status and the deductible left, so the covered lines get quoted right.
What would a real check show for this patient's 97039?
Pick a sample plan and type your per-unit fee. This is the visibility a real-time check gives the desk for every actual patient, in under a second.
Eligibility readout · 97039
Sample- Coverage
- Active, $1,000 deductible left, review required
- Frequency
- Case by case, records required each time
- Patient share
- Type your fee to see it
Estimate from a sample plan. A real check reads the actual plan in under a second.
When 97039 is the right code
- Treatment uses a machine or a device
- No specific code exists for that device
- Claim states the device, the time and a price
- Timed minutes noted when the provider stays
- Hands on work would use 97139 instead
Documentation payers expect
Every claim needs the device name, the area treated, the time and a stated fee, with the note attached. Payers compare that description to their own policy list, and anything matching a named exclusion stops there.
Why 97039 gets denied
What happens to the claim afterward
An unlisted line can hold up the whole claim, so the covered work on that visit, the adjustment and codes like 97110 or 97140, can sit unpaid for weeks while a reviewer reads the description. Some offices split the claim to keep the covered lines moving. Patients who were told insurance might cover the machine end up owing the full charge months later. Running the check before the visit tells the desk which parts of the day are real benefits and which are cash.
97039, quick answers
What treatments get billed under 97039?
Machine and device treatments with no code of their own, such as low level laser, decompression tables, vibration plates and some newer light or wave devices.
Is 97039 the same as 97139?
No. 97039 is the unlisted machine or modality code. 97139 covers unlisted hands on procedures, like certain taping techniques. Payers treat the two differently.
Does Medicare pay for 97039?
Not when a chiropractor bills it. Medicare's chiropractic coverage does not reach machine treatments, so 97039 is a statutory exclusion tagged with the GY modifier. An advance notice is optional for services Medicare never covers, but most offices still get one signed.
Should the office collect at the time of service?
Most do, because unlisted claims are slow and usually deny. A written estimate and a signed agreement before the treatment keeps everyone honest.
Can it be appealed?
Sometimes, if the denial was for a missing description rather than a policy exclusion. Resubmit with the device name, the time and the note. Policy exclusions almost never turn over.
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Related: 97139 · S8948 · 97035
CPT is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association. This page is Valian's own plain-English summary for front-desk teams, not official CPT descriptor text, and is not billing or clinical advice. Coverage patterns are common plan behaviors; every plan differs. Verify benefits before the visit.