J0173 — Injection, epinephrine (belcher), not therapeutically equivalent to j0171, 0.1 mg
J0173 is a HCPCS Level II code for injection, epinephrine (belcher), not therapeutically equivalent to j0171, 0.1 mg. It belongs to the Drugs Administered Other Than Oral Method section. It was terminated on June 30, 2025 and is not valid on new claims.
This code has been terminated
CMS terminated J0173 on June 30, 2025. It stays in the file as history — a claim you are auditing from before that date may legitimately carry it — but it must not appear on a new claim. The adjacent codes below are the usual place to look for its replacement.
Medicare coverage: Special coverage instructions apply
There are published conditions attached to this code. Check the applicable coverage policy before billing it: the code being valid is not the same as the service being covered.
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.
The CMS record for J0173
- Long descriptor
- Injection, epinephrine (belcher), not therapeutically equivalent to j0171, 0.1 mg
- Short descriptor
- Inj, epinephrine (belcher)
- Added
- January 1, 2023
- Terminated
- June 30, 2025
- BETOS
- O1E
- Pricing indicator
- 51 — Other
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.
When CMS retired it.
Berenson-Eggers Type of Service — CMS's own analytic grouping.
Drugs.
Codes adjacent to J0173
HCPCS has no hierarchy — related items simply sit next to each other in the numbering. If J0173 is not quite right, the correct code is very often within a few positions of it.
- J0164Injection, epinephrine in sodium chloride (baxter), 0.1 mg
- J0165Injection, epinephrine, not otherwise specified, 0.1 mg
- J0166Injection, epinephrine (bpi), not therapeutically equivalent to j0165, 0.1 mg
- J0167Injection, epinephrine (hospira), not therapeutically equivalent to j0165, 0.1 mg
- J0168Injection, epinephrine (international medication systems), not therapeutically equivalent to j0165, 0.1 mg
- J0169Injection, epinephrine (adrenalin), not therapeutically equivalent to j0165, 0.1 mg
- J0171Injection, adrenalin, epinephrine, 0.1 mgterminated
- J0172Injection, aducanumab-avwa, 2 mgterminated
- J0174Lecanemab-irmb, for intravenous injection, 1 mg
- J0175Injection, donanemab-azbt, 2 mg
- J0177Injection, aflibercept hd, 1 mg
- J0178Injection, aflibercept, 1 mg
- J0179Injection, brolucizumab-dbll, 1 mg
- J0180Injection, agalsidase beta, 1 mg
- J0184Injection, amisulpride, 1 mg
- J0185Injection, aprepitant, 1 mg
Questions about J0173
What is HCPCS code J0173?
J0173 is a HCPCS Level II code for injection, epinephrine (belcher), not therapeutically equivalent to j0171, 0.1 mg. It sits in the Drugs Administered Other Than Oral Method section.
Does Medicare cover J0173?
The CMS HCPCS file marks J0173 as "Special coverage instructions apply". There are published conditions attached to this code. Check the applicable coverage policy before billing it: the code being valid is not the same as the service being covered.
Is J0173 still valid?
No. J0173 was terminated on June 30, 2025 and should not be used on new claims.