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    v1.0.28
    OpenPayerBilling CodesOutpatient PPSHCPCS hcpcs-c9088-bupivacaine-meloxicam-instillation
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    HCPCS C9088: Instillation of Bupivacaine and Meloxicam, 1 mg/0.03 mg

    HCPCS Level II code C9088 describes the instillation of a combined formulation of bupivacaine and meloxicam (1 mg/0.03 mg) for local analgesia and anti-inflammatory effect; the service is an injectable/instillation medication administration typically provided in outpatient clinics, ambulatory surgical centers, or physician office procedure rooms for procedural pain control or localized postoperative pain management.

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    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A typical patient is an adult presenting for a localized intraoperative or postoperative analgesia procedure where an instillation of a combined local anesthetic and NSAID formulation is indicated. The service C9088 (instillation, bupivacaine and meloxicam, 1 mg/0.03 mg) is provided during or immediately after a surgical procedure such as outpatient knee arthroscopy, shoulder arthroscopy, small open orthopedic procedures, or soft-tissue surgery to provide extended local analgesia and reduce systemic opioid requirement. The workflow usually includes preoperative consent and documentation of indication, sterile preparation of the wound or joint space by the operating surgeon or qualified proceduralist, instillation of the specified product into the surgical field or joint space prior to closure, and documentation of the drug name, HCPCS code C9088, dosage administered, lot number, and site of instillation in the operative note. Post-procedure monitoring for expected analgesic effect and potential adverse reactions (local anesthetic toxicity, bleeding, or NSAID-related reactions) is documented in the recovery record.

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure
    20610Arthrocentesis, aspiration and/or injection; major joint or bursa (e.g., shoulder, hip, knee)Performed when joint space access is needed prior to or instead of intraoperative instillation; often used for diagnostic or therapeutic injections in outpatient settings.
    27096Injection procedure for sacroiliac joint, anesthetic and/or anti-inflammatory substance, with image guidance (fluoroscopy or CT)Relevant when the instillation is performed into a deep joint requiring image guidance; represents a parallel service in certain pain procedures.
    20550Injection(s); single tendon sheath, or ligament, aponeurosis (e.g., trigger point)Performed for localized soft-tissue analgesia where instillation of bupivacaine/meloxicam may be an alternative or adjunct.
    99213Office or other outpatient visit, established patient, low to moderate complexityTypical postoperative or follow-up visit code where effectiveness of instillation and pain control is assessed and documented.
    99100Anesthesia for patient of extreme age, under 1 year and over 70 years, requiring special attentionMay apply in specific patient populations requiring special anesthesia considerations when instillation occurs during a procedure.

    Related Modifiers

    7 rows

    ModifierDescriptionWhen to Use
    22Modifier –22 (Increased Procedural Services) is used when a reported procedure is substantially more extensive than normally required. The CPT Manual and CMS state it may be appended only when the…- When to use: Append modifier -22 to a procedural CPT code when the service performed is substantially more extensive than the usual service described by that code — i.e., the procedure required…
    23Modifier -23 (Unusual Anesthesia) is used on anesthesia service CPT codes when a procedure that normally requires no anesthesia or only local anesthesia must be performed under general anesthesia…- Use modifier -23 only on anesthesia CPT codes (00100–01999) when a procedure that normally requires no anesthesia or only local anesthesia must be performed under general anesthesia because of…
    52Modifier ‑52 (Reduced Services) indicates that a service or procedure was partially reduced or omitted at the provider’s discretion, allowing reporting of the basic procedure number with a qualifier…- Use modifier -52 when a physician or qualified health professional electively reduces or omits part of a procedure or service (for example, performing fewer required views or omitting a portion of…
    53Modifier 53 (Discontinued Procedure) signals that a surgical or diagnostic service was begun by the physician but terminated because of extenuating circumstances that threatened the patient’s…- Use modifier -53 when a physician/qualified healthcare professional has started a surgical or diagnostic procedure (e.g., anesthesia administered, incision or scope insertion) and then discontinues…
    54Modifier ‑54 (“Surgical care only”) is appended to a CPT surgical procedure when the reporting surgeon performs the intraoperative (surgical) component but does not furnish the preoperative and/or…- Use modifier -54 when the reporting surgeon provided only the intraoperative (surgical) component of a procedure and preoperative and/or postoperative management has been or will be provided by…
    55Modifier –55 indicates the billing provider furnished only postoperative management for a procedure that has a global surgical period. According to AAPC, this modifier is appended to the same CPT…- Use modifier -55 when billing the same CPT surgical code that has a 10- or 90-day global period and you, as a provider other than the original surgeon, furnished ONLY postoperative management (no…
    62Modifier 62 indicates that two surgeons function as co‑surgeons, each performing distinct parts of the same primary surgical procedure. It is appended to the primary procedure code (and any…- Use modifier -62 when two surgeons act as co‑surgeons (both primary surgeons) on a single definitive primary procedure, each performing distinct parts of the same surgical procedure (append -62 to…

    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy CodeSpecialtyNotes
    208800000XUrology PhysicianA urologist manages benign and malignant medical and surgical disorders of the genitourinary system and the adrenal gland. This specialist has compreh…
    208600000XSurgery PhysicianA general surgeon has expertise related to the diagnosis - preoperative, operative and postoperative management - and management of complications of s…
    207P00000XEmergency Medicine PhysicianAn emergency physician focuses on the immediate decision making and action necessary to prevent death or any further disability both in the pre-hospit…
    207L00000XAnesthesiology PhysicianAn anesthesiologist is trained to provide pain relief and maintenance, or restoration, of a stable condition during and immediately following an opera…
    363A00000XPhysician AssistantA physician assistant is a person who has successfully completed an accredited education program for physician assistant, is licensed by the state and…
    3336H0001XHome Infusion Therapy PharmacyPharmacy-based, decentralized patient care organization with expertise in USP 797-compliant sterile drug compounding that provides care to patients wi…
    207ZP0101XAnatomic Pathology PhysicianA pathologist deals with the causes and nature of disease and contributes to diagnosis, prognosis and treatment through knowledge gained by the labora…
    261QA0006XAmbulatory Fertility FacilityA fertility facility, which may be licensed, registered, or certified in some states, that is not hospital-based, where services are provided at a fi…

    Related Codes

    HCPCS-C1713-IMPLANTABLE-ANCHOR-SCREW-BONE-FIXATION

    HCPCS C1713: Anchor/Screw for Bone or Soft Tissue Fixation (Implantable)

    HCPCS-C1714-TRANSLUMINAL-DIRECTIONAL-ATHERECTOMY-CATHETER

    HCPCS C1714: Catheter, transluminal atherectomy, directional

    HCPCS-C1715-BRACHYTHERAPY-NEEDLE

    HCPCS C1715: Brachytherapy Needle

    HCPCS-C1716-BRACHYTHERAPY-GOLD-198-SOURCE

    HCPCS C1716: Brachytherapy Source, Gold-198, Per Source

    HCPCS-C1717-HDR-BRACHYTHERAPY-IRIDIUM-192-SOURCE

    HCPCS C1717: HDR Iridium-192 Brachytherapy Source, Per Source

    HCPCS-C1719-BRACHYTHERAPY-IRIDIUM-192-SOURCE-NON-STRANDED

    HCPCS C1719: Brachytherapy Source, Iridium-192, Non-Stranded

    HCPCS-C1721-IMPLANTABLE-DUAL-CHAMBER-CARDIOVERTER-DEFIBRILLATOR

    HCPCS C1721: Cardioverter-Defibrillator, Dual Chamber (Implantable)

    HCPCS-C1724-ROTATIONAL-TRANSLUMINAL-ATHERECTOMY-CATHETER

    HCPCS Level II C1724: Rotational Transluminal Atherectomy Catheter

    HCPCS-C1725-TRANSLUMINAL-ANGIOPLASTY-CATHETER-NON-LASER

    HCPCS Level II C1725: Transluminal Angioplasty Catheter, Non-Laser

    HCPCS-C1726-NON-VASCULAR-BALLOON-DILATATION-CATHETER

    HCPCS C1726: Catheter, Balloon Dilatation, Non-Vascular

    Showing 1–10 of 603

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    Frequently Asked Questions

    References

    1. 1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
    2. 2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
    3. 3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.
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