Are injectable drugs coded with CPT codes?
No, injectable agents are described by their own codes: designated J codes in the Health Care Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) Level II Coding Manual. Because the amount of reimbursement you receive for the supply may be based on the amount injected, in some cases, a different HCPCS code is used to describe the same drug, depending on the quantity. For example, for injection of methylprednisolone acetate, J1020 denotes a 20-mg injection; J1030, a 40-mg; and J1040, an 80-mg injection. Q: Is injection always a reimbursed service? A: No. An injection performed to treat a related postoperative complication is not reimbursed if performed in-office during the postop period. The injection itself is included in postop care; however, the drug you inject can be billed separately using the appropriate HCPCS code. Reimbursement would be made for both the injection and the supply if the injection were performed outside the postop period. Note as well that some injected substances and the injection i
