Summary & Overview
HCPCS A9600: Strontium sr-89 chloride, therapeutic, per millicurie
HCPCS Level II code A9600 denotes Strontium sr-89 chloride billed per millicurie for therapeutic use. As a radiotherapeutic agent, strontium-89 is used in nuclear medicine and oncology to manage painful osseous metastases through systemic radionuclide therapy. Nationally, accurate coding of this drug matters for consistent claims processing, clinical documentation, and tracking utilization of specialty radiopharmaceuticals.
Key payers in this overview include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise national perspective on clinical context and billing practice for A9600, including what the code represents, typical sites of service, and common billing considerations when this agent is administered. The publication provides benchmarks where available, notes on payer coverage patterns, and policy updates affecting radiopharmaceutical billing. It also outlines clinical context relevant to coding decisions and points readers to related code families and modifiers when available.
Data not available in the input for some payer-specific contract details, associated taxonomies, and ICD-10 diagnosis mappings.
Billing Code Overview
HCPCS Level II code A9600 represents Strontium sr-89 chloride, therapeutic, per millicurie. This code describes a radiotherapeutic agent administered for systemic radionuclide therapy. The service type is therapeutic radiopharmaceutical administration. The typical site of service is an outpatient oncology or nuclear medicine clinic where systemic radiopharmaceutical therapies are prepared and administered under specialized supervision.
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Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is an adult with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer presenting with painful osseous metastases refractory to conventional analgesics. The oncology team evaluates the patient for systemic radiopharmaceutical therapy using A9600 (Strontium Sr-89 chloride, therapeutic, per millicurie) to palliate diffuse bone pain. Prior to treatment the workflow includes: bone pain assessment, performance status evaluation, review of prior radiotherapy and systemic therapies, baseline laboratory testing (complete blood count, renal function), and informed consent discussing hematologic risks. A nuclear medicine physician or radiation oncologist prescribes the activity in millicuries. On the day of service, a nuclear medicine or infusion clinic prepares and dispenses the radiopharmaceutical per sterile and radiopharmaceutical handling protocols; a licensed nuclear pharmacist or authorized technologist documents lot number and activity. The patient receives an intravenous bolus or slow push of A9600 activity, is monitored briefly for acute reaction, and is discharged with radiation safety instructions and follow-up labs to monitor for delayed cytopenias. Subsequent visits include pain assessment and hematologic surveillance, with coordination between medical oncology, nuclear medicine, and palliative care as needed.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
JW |