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J0608

J0608Lanthanum carbonate, oral, powder, 5 mg, not therapeutically equivalent to j0607 (for esrd on dialysis)

HCPCSActiveBETOS O1E

J0608 is a HCPCS Level II code for lanthanum carbonate, oral, powder, 5 mg, not therapeutically equivalent to j0607 (for esrd on dialysis). It belongs to the Drugs Administered Other Than Oral Method 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 statusE

Excluded from the physician fee schedule by regulation. Payment, where it exists, comes from another fee schedule (drugs via ASP, supplies via DMEPOS, and so on).

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Want the dollar amount for your locality? The fee calculator applies your GPCI and the current conversion factor.

The CMS record for J0608

Long descriptor
Lanthanum carbonate, oral, powder, 5 mg, not therapeutically equivalent to j0607 (for esrd on dialysis)

The official wording. This is what the code means.

Short descriptor
Lanthanum carbonate pwdr 5mg

CMS's 28-character form, which is what shows up on a remittance advice.

Added
January 1, 2025

When CMS introduced the code.

BETOS
O1E

Berenson-Eggers Type of Service — CMS's own analytic grouping.

Pricing indicator
57 — Other

Other carrier priced.

Codes adjacent to J0608

HCPCS has no hierarchy — related items simply sit next to each other in the numbering. If J0608 is not quite right, the correct code is very often within a few positions of it.

  • J0600Injection, edetate calcium disodium, up to 1000 mg
  • J0601Sevelamer carbonate (renvela or therapeutically equivalent), oral, 20 mg (for esrd on dialysis)
  • J0602Sevelamer carbonate (renvela or therapeutically equivalent), oral, powder, 20 mg (for esrd on dialysis)
  • J0603Sevelamer hydrochloride (renagel or therapeutically equivalent), oral, 20 mg (for esrd on dialysis)
  • J0604Cinacalcet, oral, 1 mg, (for esrd on dialysis)
  • J0605Sucroferric oxyhydroxide, oral, 5 mg (for esrd on dialysis)
  • J0606Injection, etelcalcetide, 0.1 mg
  • J0607Lanthanum carbonate, oral, 5 mg (for esrd on dialysis)
  • J0609Ferric citrate, oral, 3 mg ferric iron, (for esrd on dialysis)
  • J0610Injection, calcium gluconate (fresenius kabi), per 10 mlterminated
  • J0611Injection, calcium gluconate (wg critical care), per 10 mlterminated
  • J0612Injection, calcium gluconate, not otherwise specified, 10 mg
  • J0613Injection, calcium gluconate (wg critical care), not therapeutically equivalent to j0612, 10 mg
  • J0614Injection, treosulfan, 50 mg
  • J0615Calcium acetate, oral, 23 mg (for esrd on dialysis)
  • J0616Injection, metoprolol tartrate, 1 mg

Questions about J0608

What is HCPCS code J0608?

J0608 is a HCPCS Level II code for lanthanum carbonate, oral, powder, 5 mg, not therapeutically equivalent to j0607 (for esrd on dialysis). It sits in the Drugs Administered Other Than Oral Method section.

Does Medicare cover J0608?

The CMS HCPCS file marks J0608 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 J0608 paid under the physician fee schedule?

J0608 carries PFS status code E. Excluded from the physician fee schedule by regulation. Payment, where it exists, comes from another fee schedule (drugs via ASP, supplies via DMEPOS, and so on).

HCPCS Level II2026Q3-Jul· effective July 1, 2026