J9181 HCPCS code: Injection, etoposide, 10 mg
J9181 is the HCPCS Level II code for injection, etoposide, 10 mg. In 2024 Medicare paid an average of $0.87 per service for J9181 across 533,262 services. Its Medicare coverage code is D (Special coverage instructions apply): Medicare covers it when its national or local coverage criteria are met. The NCCI unit limit is 11 per day on DME suppliers. Medicare volume fell 20% from 2022 to 2024 (662,924 to 533,262 services). In 2024, about 3,246 clinicians billed Medicare for J9181 for 3,573 beneficiaries; Florida, Texas, California accounted for 29% of services.
Code details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Section | J codes — Drugs administered other than oral method |
| Coverage code | D — Special coverage instructions apply |
| Pricing indicator | 51 — Drug or biological (priced per ASP/average sales price rules) |
| BETOS category | O1D — Chemotherapy |
| Added | 1987-01-01 |
| Last action effective | 2009-01-01 |
Who bills J9181 (2024)
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Clinicians billing (by place of service) | 3,246 |
| Medicare beneficiaries | 3,573 |
| States with claims | 41 |
| Share of services in top 3 states (Florida, Texas, California) | 29% |
Counts only. Supplier and clinician names, contact lists and state-by-state detail are in Caduvo.
Medicare utilization for J9181, 2022–2024
| Year | Services | Beneficiaries | Avg. allowed | Avg. paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 662,924 | 4,336 | $0.78 | $0.62 |
| 2023 | 583,173 | 3,871 | $0.79 | $0.63 |
| 2024 | 533,262 | 3,573 | $1.10 | $0.87 |
States with the most J9181 services (2024)
| State | Services | Avg. paid |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 62,349 | $0.88 |
| Texas | 53,317 | $0.87 |
| California | 37,750 | $0.88 |
| Illinois | 33,126 | $0.88 |
| Virginia | 25,435 | $0.87 |
NCCI unit limits (MUE)
| Claim type | Max units per day | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| DME suppliers | 11 | Prescribing Information |
| outpatient hospital claims | 100 | Clinical: Society Comment |
| practitioner claims | 100 | Clinical: Society Comment |
What changed for J9181
- 1987-01-01: J9181 added to HCPCS Level II
- Next scheduled CMS quarterly update (HCPCS and DMEPOS fee schedule): 2027-01-01
Frequently asked questions
What is HCPCS code J9181?
J9181 is the HCPCS Level II code for injection, etoposide, 10 mg. Short descriptor: "Etoposide injection".
How much does Medicare pay for J9181?
In 2024, the average Medicare payment was $0.87 per service (average allowed $1.10).
Does Medicare cover J9181?
Coverage code D — Special coverage instructions apply. Medicare covers it when its national or local coverage criteria are met.
How many units of J9181 can be billed per day?
11 on DME suppliers; 100 on outpatient hospital claims; 100 on practitioner claims (NCCI medically unlikely edits).
Related J91 codes
- J9100 — Injection, cytarabine, 100 mg
- J9118 — Injection, calaspargase pegol-mknl, 10 units
- J9119 — Injection, cemiplimab-rwlc, 1 mg
- J9120 — Injection, dactinomycin, 0.5 mg
- J9130 — Dacarbazine, 100 mg
- J9144 — Injection, daratumumab, 10 mg and hyaluronidase-fihj
- J9145 — Injection, daratumumab, 10 mg
- J9150 — Injection, daunorubicin, 10 mg
- J9151 — Injection, daunorubicin citrate, liposomal formulation, 10 mg
- J9153 — Injection, liposomal, 1 mg daunorubicin and 2.27 mg cytarabine
- J9155 — Injection, degarelix, 1 mg
- J9160 — Injection, denileukin diftitox, 300 micrograms
Building a device that would bill under a code like this? Caduvo matches a device description to HCPCS/CPT codes, Medicare coverage and payment, and the FDA pathway in one report.
Next steps
- Run a reimbursement report for a device billed under J9181
- Watch J9181 for fee, coverage and descriptor changes
- Build a full Medicare revenue model for J9181
Sources: CMS HCPCS Level II release October 2025; CMS DMEPOS fee schedule; CMS NCCI MUE tables; CMS Medicare utilization (physician and DME supplier files); CMS Medicare Coverage Database articles. Fees are Medicare allowables, not commercial rates. Not billing or legal advice.