A6229 Gauze Pad HCPCS Reimbursement & Policy | OpenPayer

Summary & Overview

HCPCS A6229: Sterile Impregnated Gauze Pad, 16–48 sq. in.

HCPCS Level II code A6229 covers a sterile, water- or normal saline–impregnated gauze pad sized greater than 16 square inches up to 48 square inches, supplied without an adhesive border and billed per dressing. This code is commonly used in wound care management across outpatient clinics, wound centers, physician offices, and home health settings. Nationally, the code matters because it standardizes billing for larger impregnated gauze dressings used in postoperative care, chronic wound management, and other clinical scenarios requiring sterile, moisture-retentive dressings.

Key payers addressed in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of clinical context for A6229, typical sites of service, and which payers commonly cover this supply. The publication summarizes applicable billing considerations, common modifiers provided in the input, and notes on how the item is described for coding and documentation. It also directs readers to where they can expect to find policy details and payer-specific coverage guidance. Data not available in the input includes associated taxonomies, specific ICD-10 pairings, related codes, and granular payer policy language.

AetnaBlue Cross Blue ShieldCignaUnitedHealthcareMedicareA6229HCPCS Level IIwound caredressing supplysterile gauzehome health suppliesoutpatient servicesmedical supplies

Billing Code Overview

HCPCS Level II code A6229 describes a sterile, impregnated gauze pad soaked with water or normal saline. The dressing size is more than 16 square inches but less than or equal to 48 square inches, and the product is supplied without an adhesive border, billed per dressing.

Service type: Wound dressing supply / wound care dressing

Typical site of service: Outpatient clinics, wound care centers, physician offices, home health settings, and other sites where sterile wound dressings are applied

Data not available in the input for associated taxonomies, ICD-10 diagnoses, related codes, and service line.

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A typical patient is an adult presenting to an outpatient wound clinic or emergency department with a moderate-sized superficial wound or postoperative incision requiring a sterile, saline-impregnated gauze dressing. For example, a 62-year-old patient with a surgical excision of a skin lesion or a debrided partial-thickness skin tear on the forearm returns for dressing change and wound assessment. The clinician confirms hemostasis, cleanses the wound with normal saline, applies a sterile, water- or normal saline–impregnated gauze pad sized >16 sq. in. and ≤48 sq. in. without adhesive border (A6229), and secures it with secondary dressings or bandaging. Typical workflow includes wound inspection, cleansing, application of the specified dressing, patient education on wound care, and documentation of wound size, drainage, and dressing applied. This supply is commonly used in ambulatory surgery centers, outpatient clinics, wound care centers, and emergency departments for non-adherent, moisture-maintaining coverage of moderate-sized wounds.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`26`	Professional component	When only the professional component of an associated service is billed; rarely applied to supply-only codes but used when bundled services are split.

HCPCS A6210: Foam Wound Dressing, 17–48 sq in, Sterile, No Adhesive

HCPCS-A6213-FOAM-WOUND-DRESSING-16-48-SQIN

HCPCS A6213: Foam Wound Dressing, 16–48 sq. in.

HCPCS-LEVEL-II-A6580-GRADIENT-COMPRESSION-GLOVE-CUSTOM-HEAVY-WEIGHT

HCPCS Level II A6580: Gradient Compression Glove, Custom, Heavy Weight

HCPCS-A7005-SMALL-VOLUME-NEBULIZER-ADMINISTRATION-SET-REUSABLE

HCPCS A7005: Small-Volume Reusable Pneumatic Nebulizer Administration Set

HCPCS-A4600-SLEEVE-INTERMITTENT-LIMB-COMPRESSION-REPLACEMENT

HCPCS A4600: Sleeve for Intermittent Limb Compression Device, Replacement Only

HCPCS-A7522-TRACHEOSTOMY-LARYNGECTOMY-TUBE-STAINLESS-STEEL-REUSABLE

HCPCS Level II A7522: Tracheostomy/Laryngectomy Tube, Sterilizable Reusable

HCPCS-A6579-GRADIENT-COMPRESSION-GLOVE-CUSTOM-MEDIUM-WEIGHT

HCPCS Level II A6579: Gradient Compression Glove, Custom, Medium Weight

HCPCS-A4590-SPECIAL-CASTING-MATERIAL-FIBERGLASS

HCPCS A4590: Special Casting Material (Fiberglass)

HCPCS-A4400-OSTOMY-IRRIGATION-SET

HCPCS A4400: Ostomy Irrigation Set

HCPCS-A5056-OSTOMY-POUCH-DRAINABLE-EXTENDED-WEAR-BARRIER-FILTER

HCPCS Level II A5056: Drainable Ostomy Pouch with Extended-Wear Barrier and Filter

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Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
`282N00000X`	Physician, General Surgery	Commonly performs excisions, debridements, and applies postoperative dressings.
`207L00000X`	Physician, Emergency Medicine	Frequently applies sterile dressings in the ED for traumatic wounds.
`207P00000X`	Physician, Family Medicine	Manages outpatient wound care and dressing changes in clinic.
`163W00000X`	Physician, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation	Manages chronic wounds and performs dressing changes in wound centers.
`363L00000X`	Nurse Practitioner	Provides wound assessment and dressing application in ambulatory settings.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`S81.801A`	Unspecified open wound of right lower leg, initial encounter	Moderate-sized traumatic leg wounds often require a sterile saline-impregnated gauze dressing.
`S61.309A`	Unspecified open wound of right wrist, initial encounter	Superficial wrist lacerations after irrigation and cleansing may be dressed with this pad size.
`L98.4`	Non-pressure chronic ulcer of skin	Chronic ulcers after debridement and cleansing commonly receive moisture-retaining impregnated gauze.
`L89.303`	Pressure ulcer of left buttock, stage 3	Larger pressure ulcers requiring protective, saline-impregnated dressings fall within this size range.
`Z48.02`	Encounter for removal of sutures and staples	Postoperative dressing changes after suture removal often use sterile gauze pads of this size.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`11042`	Debridement, subcutaneous tissue (includes epidermis and dermis as necessary); first 20 sq cm or less	Often performed before application of an impregnated gauze dressing for contaminated or necrotic wounds.
`12001`	Simple repair of superficial wounds of scalp, neck, trunk and/or extremities; 2.5 cm or less	Closure procedures after which a sterile impregnated gauze pad like `A6229` may be applied postoperatively.
`97597`	Removal of devitalized tissue from wound(s), selective debridement, without anesthesia; first 20 sq cm or less	Outpatient selective debridement commonly precedes dressing application.
`99070`	Supplies and materials (except spectacles), provided by the physician over and above those usually included with the office visit	Used to report billable supplies when payer policy allows; some payers require supply codes like `A6229` instead.
`99213`	Office or other outpatient visit for the evaluation and management of an established patient, typically 15 minutes	Typical visit level for wound check and dressing change where `A6229` is applied.

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