Summary & Overview
HCPCS Level II C2639: Iodine-125 Brachytherapy Source, Per Source
HCPCS Level II code C2639 designates a non‑stranded iodine‑125 brachytherapy source billed per individual seed. These implantable radioactive sources are a core supply item in prostate and other localized cancer brachytherapy procedures, enabling targeted radiation delivery while minimizing exposure to surrounding tissues. Nationally, accurate coding of brachytherapy sources affects hospital and clinic supply billing, inventory management, and alignment with radiation oncology service claims.
Key payers addressed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of coding context, payer coverage considerations, typical sites of service, and the clinical role of iodine‑125 seeds in brachytherapy. The publication provides benchmarks for utilization and reimbursement approaches, summaries of recent policy developments affecting brachytherapy supply billing, and practical notes on claim line reporting and documentation expectations. Clinical context covers typical procedures that use C2639, such as permanent seed implants for localized malignancies. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
HCPCS Level II code C2639 is for a brachytherapy source, non-stranded, iodine-125, per source. This item represents individual radioactive seeds containing iodine-125 used in permanent or temporary brachytherapy implants for delivering localized radiation therapy.
Service Type: Brachytherapy supply / implantable radiation source
Typical Site of Service: Hospital outpatient department, ambulatory surgical center, radiation oncology clinic
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is a 65-year-old male with localized prostate cancer who is scheduled for permanent seed brachytherapy using non-stranded iodine-125 sources. The patient has completed staging with prostate biopsy, MRI, and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) assessment. The multidisciplinary team (radiation oncologist, medical physicist, urologist, and operating room staff) plans source ordering and dosimetry. On the day of the procedure the patient receives spinal or general anesthesia in an ambulatory surgery center or hospital operating room. Under transrectal ultrasound guidance, the radiation oncologist implants multiple C2639 non-stranded iodine-125 seeds into the prostate via transperineal needles according to a preplanned dosimetric map. The medical physicist verifies source activity and placement intraoperatively and performs postimplant dosimetry with CT/MRI to confirm adequate target coverage.
Typical site of service for C2639 is an inpatient hospital operating room or outpatient ambulatory surgical center and radiation oncology procedural suite. The service is furnished to patients with localized prostate carcinoma or other small, well-defined tumors appropriate for permanent low-dose-rate brachytherapy. Supplies and device billing use per-source reporting; each implanted iodine-125 seed is reported as one unit of C2639.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|