Summary & Overview
HCPCS A9532: Iodine I-125 Serum Albumin, Diagnostic, per 5 microcuries
HCPCS Level II code A9532 denotes iodine I-125 labeled serum albumin supplied for diagnostic use, billed per 5 microcuries. Radiopharmaceutical codes like A9532 are important nationally because they document the supply and administration of diagnostic radioactive agents used in nuclear medicine, affecting billing, inventory control, and clinical workflow across imaging facilities. This code matters for hospitals, outpatient imaging centers, and laboratories that perform nuclear diagnostic studies.
Key payers covered in this overview include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise explanation of the code's clinical context and service setting, plus what to expect in payer coverage discussions. The publication outlines common benchmarking topics relevant to this code, including typical sites of service, coding context for radiopharmaceutical supplies, and payer coverage considerations. Where data is not provided in the input, the report notes "Data not available in the input." The content is designed to help billing managers, compliance staff, and revenue cycle professionals understand the role of A9532 in diagnostic nuclear medicine billing and prepare for payer-specific coverage and reimbursement processes.
Billing Code Overview
HCPCS Level II code A9532 describes Iodine I-125 serum albumin, diagnostic, per 5 microcuries. This code represents a diagnostic radiopharmaceutical preparation of iodine I-125 labeled to serum albumin used for nuclear medicine diagnostic procedures. The service type is a diagnostic radiopharmaceutical supply for use in nuclear medicine imaging and laboratory diagnostic procedures. The typical site of service is hospital outpatient departments, imaging centers, and nuclear medicine facilities where radiopharmaceuticals are administered and processed.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is an adult referred from endocrinology or nuclear medicine for a diagnostic isotope procedure using iodine I-125 bound to serum albumin to evaluate plasma volume, vascular protein loss, or to perform tracer studies of plasma kinetics. The patient presents to an outpatient nuclear medicine clinic or hospital radiopharmacy. After informed consent and screening for allergies and pregnancy status (if applicable), the technologist confirms the ordered activity in microcuries and prepares the dose in accordance with radiation safety protocols. The radiopharmacist documents lot numbers and activity; the patient receives the I-125 serum albumin intravenously. Timed blood draws are performed per protocol (for example at baseline, and at designated intervals) to measure radioactivity and calculate plasma volume or protein kinetics. Specimens are sent to the clinical laboratory or counted with a gamma counter in the nuclear medicine department. Results are reviewed by the ordering physician (often an endocrinologist, nephrologist, or nuclear medicine physician) and documented in the medical record. Typical sites of service: outpatient nuclear medicine clinic, hospital outpatient department, or hospital inpatient service when clinically indicated.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
00 | Not a recognized modifier for Medicare claims; placeholder in some systems | Data systems may list ; do not append unless payer-specific guidance requires it |