Reader Question:
Marcaine
Published on Thu Mar 01, 2001
Question: I am having difficulty getting paid for Marcaine. We use the unlisted HCPCS code of J3490 (unclassified drugs) and the payer either denies the claim or ignores the code all together. Is this the correct code to use?
New Jersey Subscriber
Answer: Injectable supplies such as Marcaine or Lidocaine, when used as local anesthetics, are generally considered incidental to the global allowance for the injection procedure. Therapeutic injectable supplies such as steroids are reimbursable through their specific J code.
