Summary & Overview
HCPCS J2183: Meropenem Injection, 100 mg
HCPCS Level II code J2183 denotes a 100 mg injection of meropenem, an intravenous broad-spectrum carbapenem antibiotic used in critical care and acute infection management. The code’s specificity — including the note that it is not therapeutically equivalent to J2185 — affects billing, inventory tracking, and payer adjudication for high-acuity, weight-based antimicrobial therapy. Nationally, accurate coding for parenteral antimicrobials supports appropriate reimbursement and clinical supply management for hospitals and infusion providers.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find an overview of billing considerations for J2183, clinical context for meropenem use in acute and critical care settings, and typical sites of service where this code is used. The publication also outlines common modifier usage patterns and payer coverage considerations where available. This resource is intended to help coding, billing, and revenue teams understand the role of J2183 in claims submission and the clinical scenarios that commonly generate its use.
Data not available in the input for associated taxonomies, ICD-10 diagnoses, detailed payer-specific coverage rules, and related codes.
Billing Code Overview
HCPCS Level II code J2183 describes an injection of meropenem, packaged as 100 mg, and noted as not therapeutically equivalent to J2185. This code identifies administration of the antibiotic meropenem specifically for critical care weight-based dosing contexts as indicated by the description.
Service Type: Injectable antimicrobial therapy
Typical Site of Service: Inpatient hospital or other acute care settings (critical care), and outpatient infusion centers where parenteral antibiotics are administered.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 68-year-old patient is admitted to a hospital intensive care unit with septic shock secondary to a complicated intra-abdominal infection. The patient has acute renal impairment and is being managed with broad-spectrum intravenous antibiotics while cultures are pending. The admitting team orders meropenem administered intravenously as part of empiric therapy because of concern for multidrug-resistant Gram-negative organisms. Pharmacy dispenses meropenem using the HCPCS Level II billing code J2183 (meropenem, 100 mg vial, not therapeutically equivalent to J2185). The medication is prepared by the inpatient IV admixture team or central pharmacy and delivered to the bedside. Nursing documents dose, route, time, infusion rate, and any patient reaction in the electronic medical record. Typical sites of service include the inpatient acute care hospital (including ICU) and hospital outpatient infusion centers when IV meropenem is administered under observation or as part of an outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) program. The clinical workflow includes order entry by the prescribing clinician, pharmacist verification and dosing adjustment for renal function, nursing administration, and documentation of clinical response and culture results to guide de-escalation or targeted therapy.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
00 |