What is the difference between CPT and HCPCS?

CPT (HCPCS Level I) is the AMA-maintained code set for medical, surgical, and diagnostic procedures. HCPCS Level II is the CMS-maintained supplement that covers everything CPT does not (drugs, DME, supplies, ambulance, certain professional services). This lookup tool covers HCPCS Level II only because Level II is CMS public domain. CPT requires an AMA license to publish.

Why does this lookup not include CPT codes?

CPT codes are licensed by the American Medical Association. Publishing CPT codes with their official descriptors requires a paid AMA Data File license (typically $2,500+ annually for digital redistribution). Medonix uses CPT internally on client engagements under license. We do not publish CPT in our public lookup tool to avoid licensing complications. HCPCS Level II is the legally-clean equivalent for everything CPT does not cover.

Where does the Medonix HCPCS lookup get its data?

Live search runs against the NLM Clinical Tables Search Service, the official U.S. National Library of Medicine API for HCPCS Level II. The 8,800 pre-rendered code detail pages on this site are pulled from the same source and refreshed against the quarterly CMS HCPCS update. The dataset is CMS public domain with no licensing restriction.

How do I read a HCPCS Level II code?

HCPCS Level II codes are five characters: a letter (A-V) followed by four digits. The letter indicates the code section: A = transportation/supplies, B = enteral/parenteral, C = hospital outpatient OPPS, E = DME, G = temporary procedures, H = behavioral health, J = drugs administered, K = DMEPOS, L = orthotics/prosthetics, P = pathology, Q = temporary, S = commercial payer, T = Medicaid, V = vision/hearing.

How often are HCPCS Level II codes updated?

CMS publishes quarterly updates to HCPCS Level II (typically January, April, July, October), with annual major releases each January. Medonix refreshes the dataset against each quarterly release. Many Q-codes are temporary by design and get replaced or retired annually.

Is the HCPCS lookup tool free?

Yes. Free, no signup, no usage cap. Search runs entirely in your browser against the NLM API. Medonix never sees your search terms unless you book a discovery call and tell us what you were looking for.

Free tool · HCPCS Level II

HCPCS code lookup, with billing context.

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Search 8,800+ HCPCS Level II codes (J-codes for drugs, G-codes for Medicare procedures, Q-codes, A-codes for ambulance and supplies, E-codes for DME, L-codes for prosthetics, V-codes for vision) from the NLM Clinical Tables API. Each of 8.7,000+ pre-rendered detail pages carries documentation guidance, common denial categories, and Medonix billing context. Free, no signup, CMS public-domain dataset.

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Search 8,800+ HCPCS Level II codes

Live search via the NLM Clinical Tables API. CMS public-domain dataset; no AMA license required.

Start typing a code (J3490) or a description (CPAP, ceftriaxone, ambulance). Results appear as you type.

8.8K+HCPCS Level II codes

8680Pre-rendered detail pages

17Sections with billing context

12Code-specific overrides

Start here

Most-looked-up HCPCS codes.

The codes practice owners and CFOs land on first. Each opens a full detail page with billing context.

How this lookup is built

Live NLM data, with the billing context generic lookups skip.

Search runs in real time against the NLM Clinical Tables Search Service, the official U.S. National Library of Medicine API for HCPCS Level II. There are roughly 8,800 codes in the current quarterly release covering drugs administered (J-codes), durable medical equipment (E-codes), ambulance and supplies (A-codes), Medicare-specific procedures (G-codes), and the rest of the alphanumeric supplement.

8.7,000+ codes also get pre-rendered detail pages (SSG) with section context, related sibling codes, and a Medonix billing-context layer: documentation guidance, common denial reasons by CARC, payer-coverage notes, and Medonix specialty playbooks that cover each section. That layer is what separates this lookup from the generic ones already on the open web.

The dataset is CMS public domain. No AMA license is required to publish HCPCS Level II. The billing-context layer is built from anonymized Medonix client data and CMS coverage determinations.

Sections covered

16 HCPCS Level II sections.

Every section that exists in the current CMS quarterly release is in this lookup. The most-billed sections are J (drugs), G (Medicare procedures), E (DME), and A (ambulance/supplies).

Procedures and professional services (temporary)1,997 codes
Drugs administered other than oral1,220 codes
Orthotic and prosthetic procedures940 codes
Transportation, supplies, miscellaneous861 codes
Durable medical equipment (DME)671 codes
Temporary codes630 codes
Outpatient PPS (hospital)616 codes
Commercial payer codes (BCBS Association)533 codes
Medical services504 codes
Vision and hearing services212 codes
DMEPOS (durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, supplies)175 codes
Medicaid agency codes114 codes
Alcohol and drug abuse treatment94 codes
Pathology and laboratory59 codes
Enteral and parenteral therapy51 codes
Diagnostic radiology3 codes

Looking for CPT codes?

CPT (HCPCS Level I) requires an AMA license to publish.

Medonix runs CPT lookups internally for client engagements under our AMA Data File license. The public lookup covers HCPCS Level II only. If you need help with CPT coding, claim scrubbing, or denial work involving CPT codes, talk to a credentialed coder.

See AAPC-credentialed coding

Reference tool, not coding advice.

This lookup surfaces HCPCS Level II codes and editorial billing context for reference. Final code assignment is the responsibility of the practice or its certified coders, against the patient documentation and current CMS coverage determinations.

Frequently asked

About the HCPCS code lookup.

Reference questions for billers, coders, and CFOs. For partnerships or licensed redistribution, email hello@medonix.io.

HCPCS (Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System) is a CMS-maintained two-level code set used on U.S. healthcare claims. Level I is the AMA-licensed CPT code set (numeric, 99213, 27447, etc.). Level II is alphanumeric (A0428, J3490, G0438, etc.) and covers items CPT does not: drugs administered other than oral, durable medical equipment, ambulance, supplies, and Medicare-specific procedure codes.

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HCPCS code lookup, with billing context.

Most-looked-up HCPCS codes.

Live NLM data, with the billing context generic lookups skip.

16 HCPCS Level II sections.

CPT (HCPCS Level I) requires an AMA license to publish.

Reference tool, not coding advice.

About the HCPCS code lookup.

01What is a HCPCS code?

02What is the difference between CPT and HCPCS?

03Why does this lookup not include CPT codes?

04Where does the Medonix HCPCS lookup get its data?

05How do I read a HCPCS Level II code?

06How often are HCPCS Level II codes updated?

07Is the HCPCS lookup tool free?

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