Summary & Overview
HCPCS Q4236: Carepatch, per Square Centimeter (Add-on Supply)
HCPCS Level II code Q4236 identifies an add-on supply charge for Carepatch, billed per square centimeter, reported in addition to a primary wound or skin procedure. As an item-level code for consumable wound care materials, it matters nationally because it standardizes billing for area-based patching supplies used across outpatient clinics, wound centers, ambulatory surgical centers, and similar sites. Clear use of this HCPCS Level II code supports consistent claims processing and accurate costing for patch-based therapies.
Key payers in national analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of clinical context, common billing practice for add-on supply codes, and which payers are typically included in benchmarking. The publication outlines expected service settings, typical use cases, and administrative considerations for correct reporting. Data on modifiers, associated taxonomies, ICD-10 pairings, and detailed payer-specific coverage policies are listed where available; if not present in source input, those fields are noted as unavailable. This summary provides a practical reference for coding teams, revenue cycle managers, and policy analysts who manage wound-care supply billing at scale.
Billing Code Overview
HCPCS Level II code Q4236 describes Carepatch, per square centimeter (add-on, list separately in addition to primary procedure). This code represents an add-on supply charge for the application of a care patch measured by surface area.
Service type: Durable medical supply / wound care adjunct.
Typical site of service: Outpatient clinics, wound care centers, ambulatory surgical centers, and other facility or office-based settings where a primary procedure for wound management or skin treatment is performed.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A patient presents to an outpatient wound clinic for management of a chronic non-healing wound following surgical excision of a skin lesion. The wound is measured, cleansed, and debrided as needed. The clinician applies a dermatologic carepatch product to the wound bed to promote moisture balance and support healing; the product is billed per square centimeter using Q4236 in addition to the primary wound procedure or dressing application. Typical workflow includes wound assessment, documentation of size (cm2), measurement photos, selection of the appropriate carepatch size, application, and patient instructions for dressing change and follow-up. Typical sites of service are outpatient wound care clinics, dermatology offices, ambulatory surgery centers, and hospital outpatient departments when used as an adjunct to a primary procedure.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
00 | No modifier | Standard reporting when no special circumstance applies |
22 | Increased procedural services | Use when work required to apply the carepatch is substantially greater than typical |