Summary & Overview
HCPCS A6222: Sterile Impregnated Gauze Pad, ≤16 sq in, No Adhesive
HCPCS Level II code A6222 represents a sterile, impregnated gauze pad (other than water, normal saline, or hydrogel), sized 16 square inches or less, without an adhesive border, billed per dressing. This supply code is commonly used for wound care management across outpatient and home health settings and matters nationally because it affects billing for routine and post-operative wound care supplies used in high-volume clinical encounters.
Key payers discussed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find concise benchmarks and clinical context for use of A6222, an overview of payer coverage considerations, and notes on typical sites of service where this dressing is applied. The publication also outlines common billing modifiers and supply handling considerations for service lines focused on wound care and durable medical supplies.
This summary equips billing professionals, clinical administrators, and policy analysts with the core facts about A6222 needed for coding decisions and payer discussions. Data not available in the input is indicated where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
HCPCS Level II code A6222 describes a sterile gauze pad impregnated with a substance other than water, normal saline, or hydrogel, sized 16 square inches or less, and without an adhesive border, billed per dressing. This product is typically used as a primary wound dressing to manage exudate, provide local topical therapy, or protect minor to moderate wounds.
Service Type: Wound care dressing supply
Typical Site of Service: Outpatient clinics, physician offices, ambulatory wound care centers, home health visits, and other ambulatory care settings
Data not available in the input for associated taxonomies, ICD-10 diagnoses, and related billing lines.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A patient presents to an outpatient wound clinic or emergency department with a shallow to moderately exuding skin wound such as a surgical incision, minor burn, traumatic abrasion, or chronic ulcer requiring topical dressing. The clinician (wound care nurse, physician assistant, or physician) inspects and cleanses the wound, selects an impregnated sterile gauze dressing sized 16 square inches or less, and applies the dressing without an adhesive border to provide antimicrobial, antiseptic, or other therapeutic agents and to absorb exudate. The procedure typically involves wound assessment, irrigation with normal saline, application of a topical agent if indicated, placement of the A6222 dressing, and patient education on dressing change schedule and signs of infection. Typical sites of service include outpatient wound care clinics, ambulatory surgery centers for minor procedures, physician offices, and emergency departments. The typical patient is ambulatory, may have comorbidities such as diabetes or peripheral vascular disease that affect wound healing, and requires routine dressing changes at intervals determined by the clinician (daily to every few days) until healing progresses.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
LT | Left side | Use when the dressing is applied to a wound on the left side of the body when laterality reporting is required. |