Summary & Overview
HCPCS Q9966: Low Osmolar Contrast Material, 200–299 mg/ml Iodine Concentration
HCPCS Level II code Q9966 designates low osmolar iodinated contrast material with an iodine concentration of 200–299 mg/ml, billed per milliliter. As a supply-oriented HCPCS Level II code, Q9966 is used in claims for diagnostic imaging and image-guided procedures that require iodinated contrast agents. Nationally, accurate coding and unitization of contrast media affect facility and professional billing, inventory accounting, and payer adjudication for radiology and interventional services.
Key payers addressed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise outline of the code’s clinical context for diagnostic imaging, typical sites of service, and payer relevance. The publication also covers common billing considerations such as unit reporting, clinical scenarios where low osmolar contrast in this concentration range is used, and the relationship between contrast agent coding and procedure-level reimbursement processes.
This summary provides operational clarity for revenue cycle staff, coding professionals, and practice administrators seeking to align documentation and supply usage with claim submission. Data not available in the input is identified where applicable; the focus remains on the code definition, service context, and payer landscape at a national level.
Billing Code Overview
HCPCS Level II code Q9966 describes low osmolar contrast material, 200-299 mg/ml iodine concentration, per ml. This item represents a radiology contrast agent measured and billed by volume.
Service type: Contrast material for diagnostic imaging
Typical site of service: Imaging suites, hospital radiology departments, outpatient imaging centers, and interventional radiology settings
Data not available in the input.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 64-year-old patient with a history of peripheral vascular disease and chronic kidney disease presents to the radiology suite for a contrast-enhanced CT angiography of the abdomen and pelvis to evaluate for suspected aortic aneurysm and arterial occlusive disease. The ordering physician documents symptoms of abdominal pain and decreased lower-extremity pulses. The procedure is performed in an outpatient hospital radiology department. Intravenous access is established, renal function and contrast allergy status are checked, and informed consent is obtained. Low osmolar iodinated contrast material with iodine concentration in the 200-299 mg/ml range (HCPCS Level II code Q9966) is administered IV in a weight- and protocol-based volume during CT acquisition. The radiologist interprets images, documents contrast type and volume, patient tolerance, and any immediate adverse reactions. Billing for contrast material uses Q9966 per milliliter, accompanied by the CT procedure CPT code for the imaging study and appropriate diagnosis codes for aneurysm or critical limb ischemia as documented in the chart.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
26 | Professional component |