Table 3.

—Commonly Used CPT and HCPCS Codes for Aerosol Therapy

Code	Description	Comments
94640	Pressurized or nonpressurized inhalation treatment of acute airway obstruction or for sputum induction for diagnostic purposes (eg, with an aerosol generator, nebulizer, MDI, or IPPB device).	Standard code used for administration of intermittent aerosol therapy.
		Use with “-76” modifier (see “‘-76’ modifier” row) for additional administrations on the same day.
94642	Aerosol inhalation of pentamidine for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia treatment or prophylaxis.	Only occasionally used given availability of oral alternatives.
94644	Continuous inhalation treatment with aerosol medication for acute airway obstruction; first hour.	Added in 2007 for continuous nebulizer therapy. If < 1 h, use 94640 instead.
94645	Continuous inhalation treatment with aerosol medication for acute airway obstruction; each additional hour.	Use for each additional hour of continuous nebulizer therapy.
94664	Demonstration and/or evaluation of patient use of an aerosol generator, nebulizer, MDI, or IPPB device.	Proper use depends on context. Some payers stipulate that this service is included in the E/M service code and will thus not reimburse for it separately.
“-76” modifier	Repeat procedure or service by the same physician. Used with 94640 for additional administrations of inhalational treatment on the same day.	Use 94640 for first administration and 94640-76 for each additional treatment.
“-59” modifier	Distinct procedural service. Can be used with 94664 for device demonstration/instruction for a new inhaler device as a separate service on the same day as administration of an inhalation treatment.	Use 94640 with 94664-59 only if separate education for a different device than that used for treatment (ie, 94640 includes education services for the device used). Also, do not bill 94640 and 94664-59 if inhalation treatment was given solely as part of demonstration.
J7611	Albuterol, inhalation solution, FDA-approved final product, noncompounded, administered through DME, concentrated form, 1 mg.	Use with 94640 or 94644 for cost of concentrated albuterol (one unit for each milligram delivered).
J7612	Levalbuterol, inhalation solution, FDA-approved final product, noncompounded, administered through DME, concentrated form, 0.5 mg.	Use with 94640 or 94644 for cost of concentrated levalbuterol (one unit for each 0.5 mg delivered).
J7613	Albuterol, inhalation solution, FDA-approved final product, noncompounded, administered through DME, unit dose 1 mg.	Use with 94640 or 94644 for cost of albuterol (one unit for each milligram delivered).
J7614	Levalbuterol, inhalation solution, FDA-approved final product, noncompounded, administered through DME, unit dose 0.5 mg.	Use with 94640 or 94644 for cost of levalbuterol (one unit for each 0.5 mg delivered).
J7644	Ipratropium bromide, inhalation solution, FDA-approved final product, noncompounded, administered through DME, unit dose 1 mg.	Use with 94640 for cost of ipratropium (one unit for each milligram delivered).
99070	Supplies and materials (except spectacles), provided by the physician over and above those usually included with the office visit or other services rendered (list drugs, trays, supplies, or materials provided).	Use with 94060 (prebronchodilator and postbronchodilator spirometry) for cost of bronchodilator. Can also use appropriate HCPCS J code.

Note that the included list of J codes is not exhaustive. A complete listing of 2011 HCPCS codes is available at http://www.cms.gov/HCPCSReleaseCodeSets/Downloads/INDEX2011.pdf. HCPCS codes are developed by the Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. CPT codes and their descriptions are copyrighted by the American Medical Association. CPT = Current Procedural Terminology; DME = durable medical equipment; E/M = evaluation and management; FDA = US Food and Drug Administration; HCPCS = Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System; IPPB = intermittent positive pressure breathing. See Table 1 for expansion of the other abbreviation.