G8601 — Iv thrombolytic therapy not initiated within 4.5 hours (<= 270 minutes) of time last known well for reasons documented by clinician (e.g. patient enrolled in clinical trial for stroke, patient admitted for elective carotid intervention)
G8601 is a HCPCS Level II code for iv thrombolytic therapy not initiated within 4.5 hours (<= 270 minutes) of time last known well for reasons documented by clinician (e.g. patient enrolled in clinical trial for stroke, patient admitted for elective carotid intervention). It belongs to the Procedures and Professional Services (Temporary) 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 statusM
Measurement code. Used for reporting purposes only; never paid.
Global period: XXX
Want the dollar amount for your locality? The fee calculator applies your GPCI and the current conversion factor.
The CMS record for G8601
- Long descriptor
- Iv thrombolytic therapy not initiated within 4.5 hours (<= 270 minutes) of time last known well for reasons documented by clinician (e.g. patient enrolled in clinical trial for stroke, patient admitted for elective carotid intervention)
- Short descriptor
- No elig tpa init w/in 4.5 hr
- Added
- January 1, 2010
- BETOS
- M5D
- 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 G8601
HCPCS has no hierarchy — related items simply sit next to each other in the numbering. If G8601 is not quite right, the correct code is very often within a few positions of it.
- G8587No anti-lipid treatment at dischargeterminated
- G8593Lipid profile results documented and reviewed (must include total cholesterol, hdl-c, triglycerides and calculated ldl-c)terminated
- G8594Lipid profile not performed, reason not giventerminated
- G8595Most recent ldl-c < 100 mg/dlterminated
- G8597Most recent ldl-c >= 100 mg/dlterminated
- G8598Aspirin or another antiplatelet therapy used
- G8599Aspirin or another antiplatelet therapy not used, reason not given
- G8600Iv thrombolytic therapy initiated within 4.5 hours (<= 270 minutes) of time last known well
- G8602Iv thrombolytic therapy not initiated within 4.5 hours (<= 270 minutes) of time last known well, reason not given
- G8627Surgical procedure performed within 30 days following cataract surgery for major complications (e.g., retained nuclear fragments, endophthalmitis, dislocated or wrong power iol, retinal detachment, or wound dehiscence)terminated
- G8628Surgical procedure not performed within 30 days following cataract surgery for major complications (e.g., retained nuclear fragments, endophthalmitis, dislocated or wrong power iol, retinal detachment, or wound dehiscence)terminated
- G8629Documentation of order for prophylactic parenteral antibiotic to be given within one hour (if fluoroquinolone or vancomycin, two hours) prior to surgical incision (or start of procedure when no incision is required)terminated
- G8630Documentation that administration of prophylactic parenteral antibiotics was initiated within one hour (if fluoroquinolone or vancomycin, two hours) prior to surgical incision (or start of procedure when no incision is required), as orderedterminated
- G8631Clinician documented that patient was not an eligible candidate for ordering prophylactic parenteral antibiotics to be given within one hour (if fluoroquinolone or vancomycin, two hours) prior to surgical incision (or start of procedure when no incision is required)terminated
- G8632Prophylactic parenteral antibiotics were not ordered to be given or given within one hour (if fluoroquinolone or vancomycin, two hours) prior to the surgical incision (or start of procedure when no incision is required), reason not giventerminated
- G8633Pharmacologic therapy (other than minerals/vitamins) for osteoporosis prescribed
Questions about G8601
What is HCPCS code G8601?
G8601 is a HCPCS Level II code for iv thrombolytic therapy not initiated within 4.5 hours (<= 270 minutes) of time last known well for reasons documented by clinician (e.g. patient enrolled in clinical trial for stroke, patient admitted for elective carotid intervention). It sits in the Procedures and Professional Services (Temporary) section.
Does Medicare cover G8601?
The CMS HCPCS file marks G8601 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 G8601 paid under the physician fee schedule?
G8601 carries PFS status code M. Measurement code. Used for reporting purposes only; never paid.