HCPCS

HCPCS (Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System) is a set of health care procedure codes established by the United States' Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). HCPCS is used in the operation of medical office administration and billing. It is divided into two principal subsystems, referred to as level I and level II of the HCPCS.

Level I: CPT Codes

Level I of the HCPCS, the CPT codes, is a numeric coding system maintained by the American Medical Association (AMA). It is used for services and procedures performed by physicians. The CPT codes are developed, maintained and copyrighted by the AMA.

Level II: National Codes

Level II of the HCPCS is a standardized coding system that is used primarily to identify products, supplies, and services not included in the CPT codes, such as ambulance services and durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) when used outside a physician's office.

Usage

HCPCS was established in 1978 to provide a standardized coding system for describing the specific items and services provided in the delivery of health care. Such coding is necessary for Medicare, Medicaid, and other health insurance programs to ensure that insurance claims are processed in an orderly and consistent manner.

See Also

• Medical billing
• Medical coding
• International Classification of Diseases
• Current Procedural Terminology

References

HCPCS Resources
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