Summary & Overview
HCPCS Level II C9606: Percutaneous Revascularization During Acute MI, Single Vessel
HCPCS Level II code C9606 denotes a complex, single‑vessel percutaneous revascularization performed during an acute myocardial infarction that can include drug‑eluting stent placement, atherectomy, angioplasty and aspiration thrombectomy. This procedure represents a high‑acuity coronary intervention often performed emergently in hospital inpatient settings and is critical to restoring coronary perfusion and limiting infarct size.
Major national payers included in this overview are Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, and UnitedHealthcare. Readers will find a concise clinical and billing context for C9606, how it relates to other percutaneous coronary intervention codes, and the typical inpatient setting where the service is furnished. The publication outlines common procedural components captured in the code, the clinical indications tied to acute myocardial infarction presentations, and the operational implications for hospital service lines that manage emergent coronary care.
The content provides operational benchmarks and policy‑relevant details useful for billing, coding review, and clinical service planning. Where specific payer policy or reimbursement details are required, readers are directed to each payer’s medical policy and coding guidance. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
HCPCS Level II code C9606 describes percutaneous transluminal revascularization of acute total or subtotal occlusion during acute myocardial infarction, performed on a single coronary artery or coronary artery bypass graft. The procedure may include a combination of drug-eluting intracoronary stent placement, atherectomy, angioplasty, and aspiration thrombectomy when performed.
Service Type: Percutaneous transcatheter/transluminal coronary procedure
Typical Site of Service: Inpatient Hospital (POS 21)
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A patient presents to the inpatient hospital (POS 21) with chest pain and electrocardiographic changes consistent with acute myocardial infarction. Cardiology evaluates the patient and determines urgent percutaneous transcatheter/transluminal coronary intervention is indicated for an acute total or subtotal coronary occlusion. The interventional cardiology team performs percutaneous transluminal revascularization during the acute myocardial infarction, which may include aspiration thrombectomy, angioplasty, atherectomy, and placement of a drug-eluting intracoronary stent for a single vessel. Standard inpatient workflow includes pre-procedure consent and stabilization, coronary angiography in the catheterization laboratory, the percutaneous intervention, post-procedure monitoring in a coronary care unit, and documentation of device use and vessel treated for accurate coding and billing. HCPCS Level II code C9606 is used to report the combined procedure for a single-vessel acute occlusion treated during acute myocardial infarction.
Coding Specifications
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Common Modifiers
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26— Professional Component- Use when reporting the professional (physician) component separately from the facility technical component.
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59— Distinct Procedural Service- Use when the service is distinct or independent from other procedures performed on the same day and not normally reported together.
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— Multiple Procedures