A7523 — Tracheostomy shower protector, each
A7523 is a HCPCS Level II code for tracheostomy shower protector, each. It belongs to the Transportation, Medical & Surgical Supplies, Administrative 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 statusX
Statutory exclusion. The item or service is not within the statutory definition of 'physician services', so the fee schedule never pays it.
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 A7523 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
- 0 — never payable MAI 3 — Date of Service Edit: Clinical · CMS Policy
- outpatient
- 0 — never payable MAI 3 — Date of Service Edit: Clinical · CMS Policy
- DME supplier
- 0 — never payable MAI 3 — Date of Service Edit: Clinical · Published Contractor Policy
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 A7523
- Long descriptor
- Tracheostomy shower protector, each
- Short descriptor
- Tracheostomy shower protect
- Added
- January 1, 2004
- BETOS
- D1F
- Pricing indicator
- 37 — DMEPOS
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.
Ostomy, tracheostomy and urological supplies. Price subject to floors and ceilings.
Codes adjacent to A7523
HCPCS has no hierarchy — related items simply sit next to each other in the numbering. If A7523 is not quite right, the correct code is very often within a few positions of it.
- A7505Housing, reusable without adhesive, for use in a heat and moisture exchange system and/or with a tracheostoma valve, each
- A7506Adhesive disc for use in a heat and moisture exchange system and/or with tracheostoma valve, any type each
- A7507Filter holder and integrated filter without adhesive, for use in a tracheostoma heat and moisture exchange system, each
- A7508Housing and integrated adhesive, for use in a tracheostoma heat and moisture exchange system and/or with a tracheostoma valve, each
- A7509Filter holder and integrated filter housing, and adhesive, for use as a tracheostoma heat and moisture exchange system, each
- A7520Tracheostomy/laryngectomy tube, non-cuffed, polyvinylchloride (pvc), silicone or equal, each
- A7521Tracheostomy/laryngectomy tube, cuffed, polyvinylchloride (pvc), silicone or equal, each
- A7522Tracheostomy/laryngectomy tube, stainless steel or equal (sterilizable and reusable), each
- A7524Tracheostoma stent/stud/button, each
- A7525Tracheostomy mask, each
- A7526Tracheostomy tube collar/holder, each
- A7527Tracheostomy/laryngectomy tube plug/stop, each
- A8000Helmet, protective, soft, prefabricated, includes all components and accessories
- A8001Helmet, protective, hard, prefabricated, includes all components and accessories
- A8002Helmet, protective, soft, custom fabricated, includes all components and accessories
- A8003Helmet, protective, hard, custom fabricated, includes all components and accessories
Questions about A7523
What is HCPCS code A7523?
A7523 is a HCPCS Level II code for tracheostomy shower protector, each. It sits in the Transportation, Medical & Surgical Supplies, Administrative section.
Does Medicare cover A7523?
The CMS HCPCS file marks A7523 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 A7523 paid under the physician fee schedule?
A7523 carries PFS status code X. Statutory exclusion. The item or service is not within the statutory definition of 'physician services', so the fee schedule never pays it.