G9766 HCPCS Transfer for Endovascular Stroke Reimbursement | OpenPayer

Summary & Overview

HCPCS G9766: Transfer for Endovascular Stroke (CVA)

HCPCS Level II code G9766 identifies patients who are transferred between institutions with a known diagnosis of cerebrovascular accident (CVA) for endovascular stroke treatment. The code captures interfacility transfers when an initial facility recognizes an acute ischemic stroke amenable to endovascular therapy and arranges transport to a center with neurointerventional capability. Nationally, this code is important for tracking care coordination, timely access to mechanical thrombectomy, and measuring resource use tied to acute stroke systems of care.

Key payers included in this analysis are Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of the code's clinical context, payer coverage considerations, and the operational settings where it is used. The publication outlines benchmarks and common billing modifiers (where available) and summarizes implications for hospital transfer protocols and billing workflows. It also highlights policy updates and coding guidance relevant to interfacility stroke transfers.

This summary provides clinicians, coding professionals, and hospital administrators with a clear, national-level description of the code, its purpose, and what to expect when billing for interfacility transfers for endovascular stroke treatment. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable.

AetnaBlue Cross Blue ShieldCigna HealthUnitedHealthcareMedicareG9766HCPCS Level IIendovascular strokeinterfacility transferacute strokemechanical thrombectomyhospital transferstroke systems of carebilling code

Billing Code Overview

HCPCS Level II code G9766 describes patients who are transferred from one institution to another with a known diagnosis of cerebrovascular accident (CVA) for endovascular stroke treatment.

Service Type: Interfacility transfer for acute endovascular stroke care

Typical Site of Service: Hospital transfer to an endovascular-capable facility (inpatient/ED setting leading to interfacility transport)

Additional details: Data not available in the input.

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A 68-year-old male with known acute ischemic stroke due to a large vessel occlusion at a primary stroke center is transferred to a comprehensive stroke center for endovascular thrombectomy. On arrival at the receiving facility there is direct communication between sending and receiving teams, transfer documentation confirming the diagnosis of cerebrovascular accident (ischemic stroke), recent neuroimaging (CT/CTA or MRI/MRA) demonstrating the occlusion, and time last known well consistent with thrombectomy eligibility. The clinical workflow includes emergent intake by the receiving emergency department stroke team, rapid review of transferred imaging, neurology and neurointerventional radiology evaluation, informed consent if possible, preparation in an angiography suite, endovascular thrombectomy procedure, immediate post-procedure neurocritical care monitoring, and coordination of disposition (ICU, step-down, inpatient rehabilitation). Ancillary services during transfer and at the receiving center may include repeat imaging, anesthesia (general or monitored anesthesia care), and vascular/critical care consultations. The billing context for G9766 applies when an established diagnosis of cerebrovascular accident (stroke) is documented at the sending institution and the patient is transferred specifically to the receiving institution for endovascular stroke treatment.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`22`	Increased Procedural Services

HCPCS G8593: Lipid Profile Results Documented and Reviewed

HCPCS-G0022-COMMUNITY-HEALTH-INTEGRATION-ADDITIONAL-30-MIN

HCPCS G0022: Community Health Integration, Additional 30 Minutes

HCPCS-G9351-PARANASAL-SINUS-CT-REPEAT-WITHIN-90-DAYS

HCPCS G9351: Repeat CT of Paranasal Sinuses Within 90 Days

HCPCS-G8933-SUICIDE-RISK-NOT-ASSESSED-INITIAL-EVALUATION

HCPCS G8933: Suicide Risk Not Assessed at Initial Evaluation

HCPCS-G9277-DAILY-ASPIRIN-OR-ANTIPLATELET-DOCUMENTATION

HCPCS G9277: Documentation of Daily Aspirin or Anti-Platelet Use or Exception

HCPCS-G2082-ESKETAMINE-NASAL-SELF-ADMINISTRATION-OUTPATIENT-VISIT

HCPCS G2082: Outpatient Visit with Esketamine Nasal Self-Administration

HCPCS-G9451-ONE-TIME-HCV-SCREENING

HCPCS G9451: One-Time Hepatitis C (HCV) Screening

HCPCS-G9548-IMAGING-FINAL-REPORT-NO-FOLLOW-UP-RECOMMENDED

HCPCS G9548: Imaging Final Report — No Follow-Up Recommended

HCPCS-G0665-TEAM-REMOTE-EVALUATION-MANAGEMENT-10MIN

HCPCS G0665: Team Remote E/M for Established Patient, 10 Minutes

HCPCS-G9301-PROPHYLACTIC-ANTIBIOTIC-BEFORE-TOURNIQUET-INFLATION

HCPCS G9301: Prophylactic Antibiotic Completed Before Tourniquet Inflation

Showing 1–10 of 1996

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
207X00000X	Interventional Neuroradiology / Endovascular Surgery	Specialty performing endovascular thrombectomy and mechanical clot retrieval.
2084P0800X	Neurology	Stroke neurologists provide evaluation, eligibility determination, and overall stroke management.
207L00000X	Vascular and Interventional Radiology	Interventional radiologists who perform endovascular therapies for cerebrovascular occlusion.
2086S0123X	Critical Care Medicine	Neurocritical care physicians manage post-procedure ICU care and hemodynamic optimization.
363L00000X	Emergency Medicine	Emergency physicians coordinate transfer acceptance and initial stabilization on arrival.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`I63.9`	Cerebral infarction, unspecified	Common diagnosis code for ischemic stroke when specific vessel or etiology is not specified; indicates ischemic stroke requiring reperfusion.
`I63.3`	Cerebral infarction due to thrombosis of cerebral arteries	Indicates ischemic stroke from arterial thrombosis often amenable to thrombectomy.
`I63.4`	Cerebral infarction due to embolism of cerebral arteries	Embolic occlusions are a frequent indication for endovascular clot retrieval.
`I61.9`	Intracerebral hemorrhage, unspecified	Relevant for documenting hemorrhagic conversion or to exclude hemorrhage prior to thrombectomy decision-making.
`G45.9`	Transient cerebral ischemic attack, unspecified	Used when TIA is diagnosed or considered in differential; may be relevant to transfer evaluation.
`I67.89`	Other cerebrovascular diseases	Used for associated cerebrovascular pathology that may impact procedural planning.
`I69.391`	Sequelae of cerebral infarction, hemiplegia and hemiparesis affecting right dominant side	Used for post-acute documentation of deficits that follow an ischemic stroke and for rehab planning.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`61645`	Endovascular mechanical thrombectomy, intracranial, arterial, single vessel, includes angiography when performed	Primary procedural CPT for mechanical thrombectomy of a cerebral arterial occlusion performed after transfer.
`36200`	Selective catheter placement, arterial system; each first order thoracic, abdominal, or pelvic branch vessel, separate or intrathoracic vessel	Often used for catheter access portions of endovascular procedures when additional selective catheterization is required.
`70496`	Computed tomography angiography, head and neck, with contrast material, including image post-processing when performed	Commonly performed or repeated on arrival to confirm occlusion location and plan endovascular approach.
`93653`	Intracoronary thrombolysis may not be directly applicable — Data not available in the input.	Data not available in the input.
`00320`	Anesthesia for intracranial procedures	Anesthesia service codes used when general anesthesia or monitored anesthesia care is provided for thrombectomy.

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