G9596 — Pediatric patient had a head ct for trauma ordered by someone other than an emergency care provider or was ordered for a reason other than trauma
G9596 is a HCPCS Level II code for pediatric patient had a head ct for trauma ordered by someone other than an emergency care provider or was ordered for a reason other than trauma. It belongs to the Procedures and Professional Services (Temporary) section. It was terminated on December 31, 2023 and is not valid on new claims.
This code has been terminated
CMS terminated G9596 on December 31, 2023. It stays in the file as history — a claim you are auditing from before that date may legitimately carry it — but it must not appear on a new claim. The adjacent codes below are the usual place to look for its replacement.
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.
The CMS record for G9596
- Long descriptor
- Pediatric patient had a head ct for trauma ordered by someone other than an emergency care provider or was ordered for a reason other than trauma
- Short descriptor
- Ped pt hd ct ord
- Added
- January 1, 2016
- Terminated
- December 31, 2023
- BETOS
- Z2
- Pricing indicator
- 00 — Not priced by Part B
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.
When CMS retired it.
Berenson-Eggers Type of Service — CMS's own analytic grouping.
Service not separately priced by Part B — not covered, bundled into another service, or used by Part A only.
Codes adjacent to G9596
HCPCS has no hierarchy — related items simply sit next to each other in the numbering. If G9596 is not quite right, the correct code is very often within a few positions of it.
- G9581Door to puncture time of greater than 2 hours for reasons documented by clinician (e.g., patients who are transferred from one institution to another with a known diagnosis of cva for endovascular stroke treatment; hospitalized patients with newly diagnosed cva considered for endovascular stroke treatment)terminated
- G9582Door to puncture time of greater than 90 minutes, no reason given
- G9583Patients prescribed opiates for longer than six weeksterminated
- G9584Patient evaluated for risk of misuse of opiates by using a brief validated instrument (e.g., opioid risk tool, soapp-r) or patient interviewed at least once during opioid therapyterminated
- G9585Patient not evaluated for risk of misuse of opiates by using a brief validated instrument (e.g., opioid risk tool, soapp-r) or patient not interviewed at least once during opioid therapyterminated
- G9593Pediatric patient with minor blunt head trauma classified as low risk according to the pecarn prediction rules
- G9594Patient presented with a minor blunt head trauma and had a head ct ordered for trauma by an emergency care provider
- G9595Patient has documentation of ventricular shunt, brain tumor, or coagulopathy
- G9597Pediatric patient with minor blunt head trauma not classified as low risk according to the pecarn prediction rules
- G9598Aortic aneurysm 5.5 - 5.9 cm maximum diameter on centerline formatted ct or minor diameter on axial formatted ct
- G9599Aortic aneurysm 6.0 cm or greater maximum diameter on centerline formatted ct or minor diameter on axial formatted ct
- G9600Symptomatic aaas that required urgent/emergent (non-elective) repairterminated
- G9601Patient discharge to home no later than post-operative day #7terminated
- G9602Patient not discharged to home by post-operative day #7terminated
- G9603Patient survey score improved from baseline following treatment
- G9604Patient survey results not availableterminated
Questions about G9596
What is HCPCS code G9596?
G9596 is a HCPCS Level II code for pediatric patient had a head ct for trauma ordered by someone other than an emergency care provider or was ordered for a reason other than trauma. It sits in the Procedures and Professional Services (Temporary) section.
Does Medicare cover G9596?
The CMS HCPCS file marks G9596 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.
Is G9596 still valid?
No. G9596 was terminated on December 31, 2023 and should not be used on new claims.