A9697 — Injection, carboxydextran-coated superparamagnetic iron oxide, per study dose
A9697 is a HCPCS Level II code for injection, carboxydextran-coated superparamagnetic iron oxide, per study dose. It belongs to the Transportation, Medical & Surgical Supplies, Administrative section. Whether Medicare pays it depends on the coverage rule below.
Medicare coverage: Carrier judgment
Coverage is decided by your Medicare contractor, not by national policy. Whether this is paid depends on the LCD for your jurisdiction and on what the documentation supports.
From the coverage field of the CMS Alpha-Numeric HCPCS File, release 2026Q3-Jul. This states Medicare’s position on the code, not on your particular claim.
Physician fee schedule statusX
Statutory exclusion. The item or service is not within the statutory definition of 'physician services', so the fee schedule never pays it.
Global period: XXX
Want the dollar amount for your locality? The fee calculator applies your GPCI and the current conversion factor.
Medically Unlikely Edits — units per day
The most units of A9697 Medicare will pay on one date of service. Bill more on a single line and it is denied. The limit is not the same in every setting, so the row that matters is the one matching the claim you are building.
- practitioner
- 1 unit MAI 3 — Date of Service Edit: Clinical · Code Descriptor / CPT Instruction
- outpatient
- 1 unit MAI 3 — Date of Service Edit: Clinical · Code Descriptor / CPT Instruction
The adjudication indicator decides whether exceeding the limit is worth appealing at all: MAI 1 is a line edit you can support with documentation, MAI 3 is a date-of-service edit that is also appealable, and MAI 2 is absolute — no documentation overrides it. CMS MUE 2026Q3.
The CMS record for A9697
- Long descriptor
- Injection, carboxydextran-coated superparamagnetic iron oxide, per study dose
- Short descriptor
- Inj, magtrace per study dose
- Added
- October 1, 2023
- BETOS
- I1E
- Pricing indicator
- 51 — Other
The official wording. This is what the code means.
CMS's 28-character form, which is what shows up on a remittance advice.
When CMS introduced the code.
Berenson-Eggers Type of Service — CMS's own analytic grouping.
Drugs.
Codes adjacent to A9697
HCPCS has no hierarchy — related items simply sit next to each other in the numbering. If A9697 is not quite right, the correct code is very often within a few positions of it.
- A9607Lutetium lu 177 vipivotide tetraxetan, therapeutic, 1 millicurie
- A9608Flotufolastat f 18, diagnostic, 1 millicurie
- A9609Fludeoxyglucose f18 up to 15 millicuries
- A9610Xenon xe-129 hyperpolarized gas, diagnostic, per study dose
- A9611Flurpiridaz f 18, diagnostic, 1 millicurie
- A9612Injection, fluorescein, 1 mg
- A9615Injection, pegulicianine, 1 mg
- A9616Gallium ga-68 gozetotide (gozellix), diagnostic, 1 millicurie
- A9698Non-radioactive contrast imaging material, not otherwise classified, per study
- A9699Radiopharmaceutical, therapeutic, not otherwise classified
- A9700Supply of injectable contrast material for use in echocardiography, per study
- A9800Gallium ga-68 gozetotide, diagnostic, (locametz), 1 millicurie
- A9900Miscellaneous dme supply, accessory, and/or service component of another hcpcs code
- A9901Dme delivery, set up, and/or dispensing service component of another hcpcs code
- A9999Miscellaneous dme supply or accessory, not otherwise specified
- B4034Enteral feeding supply kit; syringe fed, per day, includes but not limited to feeding/flushing syringe, administration set tubing, dressings, tape
Questions about A9697
What is HCPCS code A9697?
A9697 is a HCPCS Level II code for injection, carboxydextran-coated superparamagnetic iron oxide, per study dose. It sits in the Transportation, Medical & Surgical Supplies, Administrative section.
Does Medicare cover A9697?
The CMS HCPCS file marks A9697 as "Carrier judgment". Coverage is decided by your Medicare contractor, not by national policy. Whether this is paid depends on the LCD for your jurisdiction and on what the documentation supports.
How is A9697 paid under the physician fee schedule?
A9697 carries PFS status code X. Statutory exclusion. The item or service is not within the statutory definition of 'physician services', so the fee schedule never pays it.