Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System
The Healthcare Common Procedure Code dystem (HCPCd', often pronounced by its acronym as "hick picks") is a set of health care procedure codes based on the American Medical Association's Current Procedural Terminology (CPT).Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page).
Levels of codes
HCPCS includes three levels of codes:
- Level I consists of the American Medical Association's Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) and is numeric.
- Level II codes are alphanumeric and primarily include non-physician services such as ambulance services and prosthetic devices,[1] and represent items and supplies and non-physician services, not covered by CPT-4 codes (Level I).
- Level III codes, also called local codes, were developed by state Medicaid agencies, Medicare contractors, and private insurers for use in specific programs and jurisdictions. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) instructed CMS to adopt a standard coding systems for reporting medical transactions. The use of Level III codes was discontinued on December 31, 2003, in order to adhere to consistent coding standards.