Summary & Overview
HCPCS Level II C1894: Introducer/Sheath, Non-Laser
HCPCS Level II code C1894 identifies an introducer/sheath device used for procedural access that is not designed as a guiding introducer and is not intended for intracardiac electrophysiological use. Nationally, device and supply codes such as C1894 matter because they affect procedural billing, device inventory reporting, and payer coverage determinations for vascular and interventional procedures. Reimbursement and coverage policies for supply items can influence site-of-service decisions and facility revenue for procedures that require specialized introducers.
Key payers addressed in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find an overview of the code’s clinical context, typical settings where the device is used, and the common modifiers associated with device and supply billing. The publication also summarizes available national benchmarks where present, notes policy considerations relevant to HCPCS Level II supply coding, and outlines areas where payers commonly require documentation or coding specificity. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
HCPCS Level II code C1894 describes an introducer/sheath, other than guiding, other than intracardiac electrophysiological, non-laser. This device is used to gain vascular or anatomical access for insertion of catheters, wires, or other interventional devices when a guiding introducer is not required and when intracardiac electrophysiological procedures are not the intended use.
-
Service type: Device supply for vascular or procedural access
-
Typical site of service: Hospital inpatient or outpatient departments, ambulatory surgical centers, and interventional suites where vascular access or device introduction is performed
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is a 62-year-old with peripheral arterial disease presenting for an endovascular diagnostic and therapeutic procedure. The patient has claudication and an ultrasound/angiography-confirmed stenotic lesion in the femoral-popliteal segment. In the hybrid endovascular suite, interventional radiology or vascular surgery places an introducer/sheath to gain arterial access for diagnostic angiography, balloon angioplasty, atherectomy, or stent placement. The procedural workflow: pre-procedure consent and verification, local anesthesia and conscious sedation, percutaneous arterial puncture (commonly common femoral artery), insertion of a vascular introducer/sheath (C1894) appropriate to device compatibility and sheath size, performance of diagnostic angiography and therapeutic device delivery, sheath removal, and hemostasis by manual compression or closure device. Typical monitoring includes fluoroscopy, hemodynamic monitoring, and post-procedure vascular checks; discharge planning considers access site bleeding risk and anticoagulation status.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
00 | Default / No Modifier Specified | Rarely reported; reserved by some payors as system default when no other modifier applies |