What does HCPCS stand for?
HCPCS (sometimes pronounced hick-picks) is an acronym for Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System and refers to the system of coding for services and equipment used by physicians, medical equipment suppliers, and insurance companies. Established in 1978, HCPCS is a national standard code set used by healthcare practitioners, providers and suppliers throughout the United States when filing insurance claims for drugs, medical devices, and other items and services. Medicare, Medicaid, and other health insurance programs use HCPCS to ensure that insurance claims are processed in an orderly and consistent manner. HCPCS codes are broken down into two principal subsystems – Level I and Level II. Level I includes CPT codes established by the AMA to describe medical services and procedures, while Level II codes (also known as “DME codes”) identify products, supplies, and some services that are not included in Level I.
