Q0085 — Chemotherapy administration by both infusion technique and other technique(s) (e.g., subcutaneous, intramuscular, push), per visit
Q0085 is a HCPCS Level II code for chemotherapy administration by both infusion technique and other technique(s) (e.g., subcutaneous, intramuscular, push), per visit. It belongs to the Temporary Codes 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).
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 Q0085 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
- 2 units 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 Q0085
- Long descriptor
- Chemotherapy administration by both infusion technique and other technique(s) (e.g., subcutaneous, intramuscular, push), per visit
- Short descriptor
- Chemo by both infusion and o
- Added
- January 1, 1992
- BETOS
- O1D
- 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.
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 Q0085
HCPCS has no hierarchy — related items simply sit next to each other in the numbering. If Q0085 is not quite right, the correct code is very often within a few positions of it.
- P9603Travel allowance one way in connection with medically necessary laboratory specimen collection drawn from home bound or nursing home bound patient; prorated miles actually travelled
- P9604Travel allowance one way in connection with medically necessary laboratory specimen collection drawn from home bound or nursing home bound patient; prorated trip charge
- P9612Catheterization for collection of specimen, single patient, all places of service
- P9615Catheterization for collection of specimen(s) (multiple patients)
- Q0035Cardiokymography
- Q0081Infusion therapy, using other than chemotherapeutic drugs, per visit
- Q0083Chemotherapy administration by other than infusion technique only (e.g., subcutaneous, intramuscular, push), per visit
- Q0084Chemotherapy administration by infusion technique only, per visit
- Q0091Screening papanicolaou smear; obtaining, preparing and conveyance of cervical or vaginal smear to laboratory
- Q0092Set-up portable x-ray equipment
- Q0111Wet mounts, including preparations of vaginal, cervical or skin specimens
- Q0112All potassium hydroxide (koh) preparations
- Q0113Pinworm examinations
- Q0114Fern test
- Q0115Post-coital direct, qualitative examinations of vaginal or cervical mucous
- Q0138Injection, ferumoxytol, for treatment of iron deficiency anemia, 1 mg (non-esrd use)
Questions about Q0085
What is HCPCS code Q0085?
Q0085 is a HCPCS Level II code for chemotherapy administration by both infusion technique and other technique(s) (e.g., subcutaneous, intramuscular, push), per visit. It sits in the Temporary Codes section.
Does Medicare cover Q0085?
The CMS HCPCS file marks Q0085 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 Q0085 paid under the physician fee schedule?
Q0085 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).