S3846 — Genetic testing for hemoglobin e beta-thalassemia
S3846 is a HCPCS Level II code for genetic testing for hemoglobin e beta-thalassemia. It belongs to the Temporary National Codes (Non-Medicare) section. Medicare does not pay it — see the coverage note below before you bill it.
Medicare coverage: Not payable by Medicare
Medicare does not pay this code. It may still be valid for another payer, but a Medicare claim carrying it will not be reimbursed.
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 statusI
Not valid for Medicare purposes. Medicare uses another code.
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 S3846
- Long descriptor
- Genetic testing for hemoglobin e beta-thalassemia
- Short descriptor
- Gene test beta-thalassemia
- Added
- July 1, 2003
- BETOS
- Z2
- 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 S3846
HCPCS has no hierarchy — related items simply sit next to each other in the numbering. If S3846 is not quite right, the correct code is very often within a few positions of it.
- S3721Prostate cancer antigen 3 (pca3) testingterminated
- S3722Dose optimization by area under the curve (auc) analysis, for infusional 5-fluorouracil
- S3800Genetic testing for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (als)
- S3840Dna analysis for germline mutations of the ret proto-oncogene for susceptibility to multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2
- S3841Genetic testing for retinoblastoma
- S3842Genetic testing for von hippel-lindau disease
- S3844Dna analysis of the connexin 26 gene (gjb2) for susceptibility to congenital, profound deafness
- S3845Genetic testing for alpha-thalassemia
- S3849Genetic testing for niemann-pick disease
- S3850Genetic testing for sickle cell anemia
- S3852Dna analysis for apoe epsilon 4 allele for susceptibility to alzheimer's disease
- S3853Genetic testing for myotonic muscular dystrophy
- S3854Gene expression profiling panel for use in the management of breast cancer treatment
- S3855Genetic testing for detection of mutations in the presenilin - 1 geneterminated
- S3861Genetic testing, sodium channel, voltage-gated, type v, alpha subunit (scn5a) and variants for suspected brugada syndrome
- S3865Comprehensive gene sequence analysis for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Questions about S3846
What is HCPCS code S3846?
S3846 is a HCPCS Level II code for genetic testing for hemoglobin e beta-thalassemia. It sits in the Temporary National Codes (Non-Medicare) section.
Does Medicare cover S3846?
The CMS HCPCS file marks S3846 as "Not payable by Medicare". Medicare does not pay this code. It may still be valid for another payer, but a Medicare claim carrying it will not be reimbursed.
How is S3846 paid under the physician fee schedule?
S3846 carries PFS status code I. Not valid for Medicare purposes. Medicare uses another code.