Reader Question:
Welcome Back, A4644!
Published on Fri May 07, 2004
Question: In the 2004 HCPCS book, A4644 is crossed out. Which code should I use now when the doctor uses iodine for contrast?
Washington Subscriber Answer: Keep using A4644 (Supply of low osmolar contrast material [100-199 mgs of iodine]). In January 2004, CMS issued Transmittal 45, an emergency correction to the HCPCS codes, rescinding the deletion of A4644, A4645 (... [200-299 mgs of iodine]) and A4646 (... [300-399 mgs of iodine]).
CMS originally planned to replace those codes with the new code A9525 (Supply of low or iso-osmolar contrast material, 10 mg of iodine), but later decided that the changes "may result in incorrect coding of low osmolar contrast material and that providers should continue to use codes A4644 through A4646 rather than new code A9525." Effective April 1, 2004, A9525 is invalid for Medicare claims. Check with your providers to make sure they've gotten the scoop. You can read transmittal 45 online at
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/manuals/pm_trans/R45OTN.pdf.
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