C9728 — Placement of interstitial device(s) for radiation therapy/surgery guidance (e.g., fiducial markers, dosimeter), for other than the following sites (any approach): abdomen, pelvis, prostate, retroperitoneum, thorax, single or multiple
C9728 is a HCPCS Level II code for placement of interstitial device(s) for radiation therapy/surgery guidance (e.g., fiducial markers, dosimeter), for other than the following sites (any approach): abdomen, pelvis, prostate, retroperitoneum, thorax, single or multiple. It belongs to the Outpatient Prospective Payment System section. Whether Medicare pays it depends on the coverage rule below.
Medicare coverage: Special coverage instructions apply
There are published conditions attached to this code. Check the applicable coverage policy before billing it: the code being valid is not the same as the service being covered.
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.
Medically Unlikely Edits — units per day
The most units of C9728 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 2 — Date of Service Edit: Policy · Code Descriptor / CPT Instruction
- outpatient
- 1 unit MAI 2 — Date of Service Edit: Policy · 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 C9728
- Long descriptor
- Placement of interstitial device(s) for radiation therapy/surgery guidance (e.g., fiducial markers, dosimeter), for other than the following sites (any approach): abdomen, pelvis, prostate, retroperitoneum, thorax, single or multiple
- Short descriptor
- Place device/marker, non pro
- Added
- July 1, 2007
- BETOS
- P5E
- Pricing indicator
- 53 — 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.
Statute.
Codes adjacent to C9728
HCPCS has no hierarchy — related items simply sit next to each other in the numbering. If C9728 is not quite right, the correct code is very often within a few positions of it.
- C9606Percutaneous transluminal revascularization of acute total/subtotal occlusion during acute myocardial infarction, coronary artery or coronary artery bypass graft, any combination of drug-eluting intracoronary stent, atherectomy and angioplasty, including aspiration thrombectomy when performed, single vessel
- C9607Percutaneous transluminal revascularization of chronic total occlusion, coronary artery, coronary artery branch, or coronary artery bypass graft, any combination of drug-eluting intracoronary stent, atherectomy and angioplasty; single vessel
- C9608Percutaneous transluminal revascularization of chronic total occlusion, coronary artery, coronary artery branch, or coronary artery bypass graft, any combination of drug-eluting intracoronary stent, atherectomy and angioplasty; each additional coronary artery, coronary artery branch, or bypass graft (list separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
- C9610Catheter, transluminal drug delivery with or without angioplasty, coronary, non-laser (insertable)
- C9724Endoscopic full-thickness plication of the stomach using endoscopic plication system (eps); includes endoscopyterminated
- C9725Placement of endorectal intracavitary applicator for high intensity brachytherapy
- C9726Placement and removal (if performed) of applicator into breast for intraoperative radiation therapy, add-on to primary breast procedure
- C9727Insertion of implants into the soft palate; minimum of three implants
- C9733Non-ophthalmic fluorescent vascular angiography
- C9734Focused ultrasound ablation/therapeutic intervention, other than uterine leiomyomata, with magnetic resonance (mr) guidance
- C9735Anoscopy; with directed submucosal injection(s), any substanceterminated
- C9737Laparoscopy, surgical, esophageal sphincter augmentation with device (e.g., magnetic band)terminated
- C9738Adjunctive blue light cystoscopy with fluorescent imaging agent (list separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
- C9739Cystourethroscopy, with insertion of transprostatic implant; 1 to 3 implants
- C9740Cystourethroscopy, with insertion of transprostatic implant; 4 or more implants
- C9741Right heart catheterization with implantation of wireless pressure sensor in the pulmonary artery, including any type of measurement, angiography, imaging supervision, interpretation, and reportterminated
Questions about C9728
What is HCPCS code C9728?
C9728 is a HCPCS Level II code for placement of interstitial device(s) for radiation therapy/surgery guidance (e.g., fiducial markers, dosimeter), for other than the following sites (any approach): abdomen, pelvis, prostate, retroperitoneum, thorax, single or multiple. It sits in the Outpatient Prospective Payment System section.
Does Medicare cover C9728?
The CMS HCPCS file marks C9728 as "Special coverage instructions apply". There are published conditions attached to this code. Check the applicable coverage policy before billing it: the code being valid is not the same as the service being covered.