Summary & Overview

HCPCS Level II J7179: Recombinant von Willebrand Factor (vonvendi), 1 i.u. vwf:rco

HCPCS Level II code J7179 identifies the injectable biologic product recombinant von Willebrand factor (vonvendi), billed per 1 international unit (i.u.) vwf:rco. This code captures the drug component of therapy for patients with von Willebrand disease who receive recombinant VWF, and is relevant for hospital outpatient infusion centers, ambulatory infusion clinics, and similar settings where infused biologics are delivered.

Key national payers covered in this overview include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise explanation of the clinical context for recombinant VWF use and the service settings where billing typically occurs. The publication highlights coverage and billing considerations at a national level, presents benchmarking context where available, and summarizes relevant policy or coding updates that affect how the product is submitted and reimbursed.

This summary equips billing managers, revenue cycle staff, and clinical administrators with the essential facts about the code, the service type, and typical sites of care. Data not available in the input is noted where specific payer policy details, modifiers usage patterns, associated taxonomies, ICD-10 pairings, and related procedure or diagnosis codes would ordinarily appear.

AetnaBlue Cross Blue ShieldCigna HealthUnitedHealthcareMedicareJ7179HCPCS Level IIrecombinant von Willebrand factorinjectable biologicinfusionhematologydrug codeoutpatient infusion

Billing Code Overview

HCPCS Level II code J7179 represents the administration of recombinant von Willebrand factor (vonvendi), billed per 1 international unit (i.u.) vwf:rco. This code is used when the product is provided for injection and accounts for the biologic agent itself rather than administration-only services.

Service Type: Injectable biologic

Typical Site of Service: Hospital outpatient infusion center or ambulatory infusion clinic

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A typical patient is an adult or pediatric individual with von Willebrand disease (VWD) presenting with clinically significant bleeding or requiring hemostatic coverage for an invasive procedure. The patient is evaluated in a hematology clinic, infusion center, or hospital setting. The treating hematologist orders J7179 (recombinant von Willebrand factor, vonvendi) dosed in international units of VWF:RCo. Pharmacy prepares and verifies the dose; nursing obtains consent, confirms weight and baseline labs (complete blood count, coagulation studies), and establishes intravenous access. The medication is administered intravenously per product labeling with vital sign monitoring during and after infusion. Post‑infusion assessment documents bleeding control, adverse reactions, and need for additional doses. Typical sites of service include outpatient infusion centers, hospital inpatient wards, ambulatory surgical centers when used for perioperative prophylaxis, and emergency departments for acute bleeding events.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`00`	Unspecified	Rarely used; native code placeholder when no other modifier applies (use sparingly and per payor policy).
`11`	Multiple Procedure	When multiple services are billed by the same provider on the same date and a reduced payment applies to subsequent procedures.
`22`	Increased Procedural Services	When administration required substantially greater resources than usual (document rationale).
`23`	Unusual Anesthesia	When a procedure normally not requiring anesthesia requires it due to patient condition.
`52`	Reduced Services	When the service is partially reduced or not completed as planned.
`53`	Discontinued Procedure	When the procedure is started but discontinued for patient safety.
`76`	Repeat Procedure by Same Physician	For an additional administration or repeat infusion on the same day by the same physician.
`78`	Return to Operating Room	When additional operative care related to the initial procedure occurs during the global period.
`80`	Assistant Surgeon	When an assistant surgeon participates (rare for infusion but may apply perioperative context).
`JW`	Drug Wasted/Discarded	When portion of a single‑use biologic vial is discarded — reports amount wasted where payor requires distinct reporting.
`JZ`	No Waste/Not Administered from Single‑Dose Vial	When billing indicates no portion of the single‑dose vial was discarded.
`QX`	CRNA Service: With Medical Direction	For anesthesia services when a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist provides care under medical direction.
`QK`	Medical Direction of Two or More CRNAs	For specific anesthesia billing scenarios if anesthesia required.
`AS`	Physician Assistant, Nurse Practitioner, or Clinical Nurse Specialist	When a qualified nonphysician practitioner performs or assists with the service per payor rules.
`JW`	Drug Wastage Reporting	(See above) Use when payors require explicit waste reporting for single‑use biologics.

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
`207RH0000X`	Hematology	Hematologists manage VWD diagnosis, dosing, and infusion plans.
`3086S0125X`	Pediatric Hematology/Oncology	Pediatric specialists manage children with congenital VWD requiring recombinant VWF.
`363L00000X`	Infusion Therapy	Infusion nurses and infusion centers administer biologic therapies like vonvendi.
`207K00000X`	Internal Medicine	Hospitalists or internists involved in inpatient management and perioperative planning.
`208D00000X`	Emergency Medicine	Emergency physicians order and coordinate urgent hemostatic therapy for acute bleeding.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`D68.0`	von Willebrand disease	Primary indication for recombinant VWF therapy to treat or prevent bleeding in patients with VWD.
`D68.4`	Acquired coagulation factor deficiency	Used when acquired defects in VWF function or other factor deficiencies necessitate VWF concentrate use.
`D69.6`	Thrombocytopenia, unspecified	May accompany bleeding diathesis; VWF therapy considered when platelet dysfunction contributes to bleeding.
`R58`	Hemorrhage, not elsewhere classified	Acute bleeding presentation prompting emergent administration of vonvendi.
`Z48.21`	Encounter for aftercare following infusion, transfusion and therapeutic administration	Used for post‑infusion follow‑up visits to document response and adverse effects.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`96365`	Intravenous infusion, therapeutic, prophylactic, or diagnostic; initial, up to 1 hour	Used to report the infusion administration time for the biologic when billed by infusion providers.
`96366`	Intravenous infusion, each additional hour (List separately in addition to code for primary service)	When infusion extends beyond the first hour and additional time-based reporting is required.
`96372`	Therapeutic, prophylactic, or diagnostic injection (specify substance or drug); subcutaneous or intramuscular	May apply if a subcutaneous or intramuscular route is used for ancillary medications (not typical for vonvendi).
`36415`	Collection of venous blood by venipuncture	Pre‑ and post‑infusion laboratory monitoring (CBC, coagulation studies) commonly billed with infusions.
`99213`	Office or other outpatient visit, established patient, low to moderate complexity	Evaluation and management visit for ongoing outpatient infusion care or pre‑infusion assessment.