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Official Description

Intravenous infusion, for therapy, prophylaxis, or diagnosis (specify substance or drug); initial, up to 1 hour

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Common Language Description

An intravenous infusion involves the administration of a specified substance or drug directly into a patient's bloodstream through a vein, typically in the arm. This procedure is performed for various purposes, including therapy, prophylaxis, or diagnosis. During the infusion, a healthcare professional, usually a physician, is responsible for the direct supervision of the process, ensuring that they are immediately available to address any complications that may arise. The physician conducts periodic assessments of the patient throughout the infusion, monitoring their response to the treatment and documenting any relevant observations. The use of CPT® Code 96365 specifically refers to the initial intravenous infusion that lasts up to one hour. For infusions that extend beyond this time frame or involve additional substances, specific add-on codes are utilized to accurately reflect the services provided. These codes include 96366 for each additional hour of the same infusion, 96367 for a sequential infusion of a different substance or drug for up to one hour, and 96368 for concurrent infusions of different substances or drugs administered simultaneously.

© Copyright 2025 Coding Ahead. All rights reserved.

1. Indications

The intravenous infusion procedure is indicated for various clinical scenarios, including but not limited to the following:

  • Therapeutic Treatment Administration of medications to treat specific medical conditions or diseases.
  • Prophylaxis Use of substances to prevent the onset of disease or complications.
  • Diagnostic Purposes Infusion of contrast agents or other substances to assist in diagnostic imaging or evaluations.

2. Procedure

The procedure for intravenous infusion involves several key steps that ensure the safe and effective delivery of the specified substance or drug:

  • Step 1: Preparation The healthcare provider prepares the necessary equipment, including the intravenous (IV) line, infusion pump, and the specified substance or drug to be administered. The provider ensures that all materials are sterile and ready for use.
  • Step 2: Venous Access A suitable vein, typically in the patient's arm, is selected for the insertion of the IV catheter. The area is cleaned with an antiseptic solution to minimize the risk of infection. The IV catheter is then inserted into the vein, and proper placement is confirmed.
  • Step 3: Infusion Initiation Once the IV line is established, the specified substance or drug is connected to the IV catheter. The infusion is started, and the healthcare provider monitors the flow rate to ensure it aligns with the prescribed parameters.
  • Step 4: Monitoring Throughout the infusion, the physician or healthcare provider conducts periodic assessments of the patient. This includes monitoring vital signs, observing for any adverse reactions, and documenting the patient's response to the treatment.
  • Step 5: Completion After the infusion has been administered for the designated time (up to one hour), the healthcare provider disconnects the IV line. The site of the IV catheter is assessed for any complications, and appropriate care is provided to the insertion site.

3. Post-Procedure

Post-procedure care involves monitoring the patient for any immediate reactions to the infusion. The healthcare provider should ensure that the patient is stable and that there are no signs of complications, such as infiltration or phlebitis at the IV site. Documentation of the infusion details, including the substance administered, dosage, and the patient's response, is essential for accurate medical records. Patients may be advised on any follow-up care or additional treatments required based on their response to the infusion.

Short Descr THER/PROPH/DIAG IV INF INIT
Medium Descr IV INFUSION THERAPY/PROPHYLAXIS /DX 1ST TO 1 HR
Long Descr Intravenous infusion, for therapy, prophylaxis, or diagnosis (specify substance or drug); initial, up to 1 hour
Status Code Active Code
Global Days XXX - Global Concept Does Not Apply
PC/TC Indicator (26, TC) 5 - Incident To Code
Multiple Procedures (51) 0 - No payment adjustment rules for multiple procedures apply.
Bilateral Surgery (50) 0 - 150% payment adjustment for bilateral procedures does NOT apply.
Physician Supervisions 09 - Concept does not apply.
Assistant Surgeon (80, 82) 0 - Payment restriction for assistants at surgery applies to this procedure...
Co-Surgeons (62) 0 - Co-surgeons not permitted for this procedure.
Team Surgery (66) 0 - Team surgeons not permitted for this procedure.
Diagnostic Imaging Family 99 - Concept Does Not Apply
APC Status Indicator Procedure or Service, Not Discounted when Multiple
Berenson-Eggers TOS (BETOS) P6C - Minor procedures - other (Medicare fee schedule)
MUE 1
CCS Clinical Classification 231 - Other therapeutic procedures

This is a primary code that can be used with these additional add-on codes.

96361 Addon Code MPFS Status: Active Code APC S CPT Assistant Article Intravenous infusion, hydration; each additional hour (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
96366 Addon Code MPFS Status: Active Code APC S CPT Assistant Article Intravenous infusion, for therapy, prophylaxis, or diagnosis (specify substance or drug); each additional hour (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
96367 Addon Code MPFS Status: Active Code APC S CPT Assistant Article Intravenous infusion, for therapy, prophylaxis, or diagnosis (specify substance or drug); additional sequential infusion of a new drug/substance, up to 1 hour (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
96368 Addon Code MPFS Status: Active Code APC N CPT Assistant Article Intravenous infusion, for therapy, prophylaxis, or diagnosis (specify substance or drug); concurrent infusion (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
96375 Addon Code MPFS Status: Active Code APC S CPT Assistant Article Therapeutic, prophylactic, or diagnostic injection (specify substance or drug); each additional sequential intravenous push of a new substance/drug (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
96376 Addon Code MPFS Status: Statutory exclusion (from MPFS, may be paid under other methodologies) APC N CPT Assistant Article 1Therapeutic, prophylactic, or diagnostic injection (specify substance or drug); each additional sequential intravenous push of the same substance/drug provided in a facility (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
59 Distinct procedural service: under certain circumstances, it may be necessary to indicate that a procedure or service was distinct or independent from other non-e/m services performed on the same day. modifier 59 is used to identify procedures/services, other than e/m services, that are not normally reported together, but are appropriate under the circumstances. documentation must support a different session, different procedure or surgery, different site or organ system, separate incision/excision, separate lesion, or separate injury (or area of injury in extensive injuries) not ordinarily encountered or performed on the same day by the same individual. however, when another already established modifier is appropriate it should be used rather than modifier 59. only if no more descriptive modifier is available, and the use of modifier 59 best explains the circumstances, should modifier 59 be used. note: modifier 59 should not be appended to an e/m service. to report a separate and distinct e/m service with a non-e/m service performed on the same date, see modifier 25.
XU Unusual non-overlapping service, the use of a service that is distinct because it does not overlap usual components of the main service
Q1 Routine clinical service provided in a clinical research study that is in an approved clinical research study
KX Requirements specified in the medical policy have been met
XS Separate structure, a service that is distinct because it was performed on a separate organ/structure
Q6 Service furnished under a fee-for-time compensation arrangement by a substitute physician or by a substitute physical therapist furnishing outpatient physical therapy services in a health professional shortage area, a medically underserved area, or a rural area
GW Service not related to the hospice patient's terminal condition
GY Item or service statutorily excluded, does not meet the definition of any medicare benefit or, for non-medicare insurers, is not a contract benefit
GA Waiver of liability statement issued as required by payer policy, individual case
X2 Continuous/focused services: for reporting services by clinicians whose expertise is needed for the ongoing management of a chronic disease or a condition that needs to be managed and followed with no planned endpoint to the relationship; reporting clinician service examples include but are not limited to: a rheumatologist taking care of the patient's rheumatoid arthritis longitudinally but not providing general primary care services
XE Separate encounter, a service that is distinct because it occurred during a separate encounter
GV Attending physician not employed or paid under arrangement by the patient's hospice provider
58 Staged or related procedure or service by the same physician or other qualified health care professional during the postoperative period: it may be necessary to indicate that the performance of a procedure or service during the postoperative period was: (a) planned or anticipated (staged); (b) more extensive than the original procedure; or (c) for therapy following a surgical procedure. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 58 to the staged or related procedure. note: for treatment of a problem that requires a return to the operating/procedure room (eg, unanticipated clinical condition), see modifier 78.
Q0 Investigational clinical service provided in a clinical research study that is in an approved clinical research study
X4 Episodic/focused services: for reporting services by clinicians who provide focused care on particular types of treatment limited to a defined period and circumstance; the patient has a problem, acute or chronic, that will be treated with surgery, radiation, or some other type of generally time-limited intervention; reporting clinician service examples include but are not limited to, the orthopedic surgeon performing a knee replacement and seeing the patient through the postoperative period
JZ Zero drug amount discarded/not administered to any patient
RT Right side (used to identify procedures performed on the right side of the body)
LT Left side (used to identify procedures performed on the left side of the body)
76 Repeat procedure or service by same physician or other qualified health care professional: it may be necessary to indicate that a procedure or service was repeated by the same physician or other qualified health care professional subsequent to the original procedure or service. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 76 to the repeated procedure or service. note: this modifier should not be appended to an e/m service.
TB Drug or biological acquired with 340b drug pricing program discount, reported for informational purposes
79 Unrelated procedure or service by the same physician or other qualified health care professional during the postoperative period: the individual may need to indicate that the performance of a procedure or service during the postoperative period was unrelated to the original procedure. this circumstance may be reported by using modifier 79. (for repeat procedures on the same day, see modifier 76.)
GK Reasonable and necessary item/service associated with a ga or gz modifier
PN Non-excepted service provided at an off-campus, outpatient, provider-based department of a hospital
Q5 Service furnished under a reciprocal billing arrangement by a substitute physician or by a substitute physical therapist furnishing outpatient physical therapy services in a health professional shortage area, a medically underserved area, or a rural area
77 Repeat procedure by another physician or other qualified health care professional: it may be necessary to indicate that a basic procedure or service was repeated by another physician or other qualified health care professional subsequent to the original procedure or service. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 77 to the repeated procedure or service. note: this modifier should not be appended to an e/m service.
PD Diagnostic or related non diagnostic item or service provided in a wholly owned or operated entity to a patient who is admitted as an inpatient within 3 days
24 Unrelated evaluation and management service by the same physician or other qualified health care professional during a postoperative period: the physician or other qualified health care professional may need to indicate that an evaluation and management service was performed during a postoperative period for a reason(s) unrelated to the original procedure. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 24 to the appropriate level of e/m service.
25 Significant, separately identifiable evaluation and management service by the same physician or other qualified health care professional on the same day of the procedure or other service: it may be necessary to indicate that on the day a procedure or service identified by a cpt code was performed, the patient's condition required a significant, separately identifiable e/m service above and beyond the other service provided or beyond the usual preoperative and postoperative care associated with the procedure that was performed. a significant, separately identifiable e/m service is defined or substantiated by documentation that satisfies the relevant criteria for the respective e/m service to be reported (see evaluation and management services guidelines for instructions on determining level of e/m service). the e/m service may be prompted by the symptom or condition for which the procedure and/or service was provided. as such, different diagnoses are not required for reporting of the e/m services on the same date. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 25 to the appropriate level of e/m service. note: this modifier is not used to report an e/m service that resulted in a decision to perform surgery. see modifier 57 for significant, separately identifiable non-e/m services, see modifier 59.
47 Anesthesia by surgeon: regional or general anesthesia provided by the surgeon may be reported by adding modifier 47 to the basic service. (this does not include local anesthesia.) note: modifier 47 would not be used as a modifier for the anesthesia procedures.
51 Multiple procedures: when multiple procedures, other than e/m services, physical medicine and rehabilitation services or provision of supplies (eg, vaccines), are performed at the same session by the same individual, the primary procedure or service may be reported as listed. the additional procedure(s) or service(s) may be identified by appending modifier 51 to the additional procedure or service code(s). note: this modifier should not be appended to designated "add-on" codes (see appendix d).
52 Reduced services: under certain circumstances a service or procedure is partially reduced or eliminated at the discretion of the physician or other qualified health care professional. under these circumstances the service provided can be identified by its usual procedure number and the addition of modifier 52, signifying that the service is reduced. this provides a means of reporting reduced services without disturbing the identification of the basic service. note: for hospital outpatient reporting of a previously scheduled procedure/service that is partially reduced or cancelled as a result of extenuating circumstances or those that threaten the well-being of the patient prior to or after administration of anesthesia, see modifiers 73 and 74 (see modifiers approved for asc hospital outpatient use).
53 Discontinued procedure: under certain circumstances, the physician or other qualified health care professional may elect to terminate a surgical or diagnostic procedure. due to extenuating circumstances or those that threaten the well being of the patient, it may be necessary to indicate that a surgical or diagnostic procedure was started but discontinued. this circumstance may be reported by adding modifier 53 to the code reported by the individual for the discontinued procedure. note: this modifier is not used to report the elective cancellation of a procedure prior to the patient's anesthesia induction and/or surgical preparation in the operating suite. for outpatient hospital/ambulatory surgery center (asc) reporting of a previously scheduled procedure/service that is partially reduced or cancelled as a result of extenuating circumstances or those that threaten the well being of the patient prior to or after administration of anesthesia, see modifiers 73 and 74 (see modifiers approved for asc hospital outpatient use).
56 Preoperative management only: when 1 physician or other qualified health care professional performed the preoperative care and evaluation and another performed the surgical procedure, the preoperative component may be identified by adding modifier 56 to the usual procedure number.
95 Synchronous telemedicine service rendered via a real-time interactive audio and video telecommunications system: synchronous telemedicine service is defined as a real-time interaction between a physician or other qualified health care professional and a patient who is located at a distant site from the physician or other qualified health care professional. the totality of the communication of information exchanged between the physician or other qualified health care professional and the patient during the course of the synchronous telemedicine service must be of an amount and nature that would be sufficient to meet the key components and/or requirements of the same service when rendered via a face-to-face interaction. modifier 95 may only be appended to the services listed in appendix p. appendix p is the list of cpt codes for services that are typically performed face-to-face, but may be rendered via a real-time (synchronous) interactive audio and video telecommunications system.
AG Primary physician
AQ Physician providing a service in an unlisted health professional shortage area (hpsa)
CC Procedure code change (use 'cc' when the procedure code submitted was changed either for administrative reasons or because an incorrect code was filed)
CR Catastrophe/disaster related
FS Split (or shared) evaluation and management visit
G6 Esrd patient for whom less than six dialysis sessions have been provided in a month
GC This service has been performed in part by a resident under the direction of a teaching physician
GZ Item or service expected to be denied as not reasonable and necessary
JA Administered intravenously
JG Drug or biological acquired with 340b drug pricing program discount, reported for informational purposes
JK One month supply or less of drug or biological
JW Drug amount discarded/not administered to any patient
N2 Group 2 oxygen coverage criteria met
Q3 Live kidney donor surgery and related services
QG Prescribed amount of stationary oxygen while at rest is greater than 4 liters per minute (lpm)
RI Ramus intermedius coronary artery
SA Nurse practitioner rendering service in collaboration with a physician
U1 Medicaid level of care 1, as defined by each state
UD Medicaid level of care 13, as defined by each state
X1 Continuous/broad services: for reporting services by clinicians, who provide the principal care for a patient, with no planned endpoint of the relationship; services in this category represent comprehensive care, dealing with the entire scope of patient problems, either directly or in a care coordination role; reporting clinician service examples include, but are not limited to: primary care, and clinicians providing comprehensive care to patients in addition to specialty care
X5 Diagnostic services requested by another clinician: for reporting services by a clinician who furnishes care to the patient only as requested by another clinician or subsequent and related services requested by another clinician; this modifier is reported for patient relationships that may not be adequately captured by the above alternative categories; reporting clinician service examples include but are not limited to, the radiologist's interpretation of an imaging study requested by another clinician
XP Separate practitioner, a service that is distinct because it was performed by a different practitioner
Date
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Notes
2011-01-01 Changed Medium description changed. Short description changed.
2009-01-01 Added -
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