Q0512 HCPCS code: Pharmacy supply fee for oral anti-cancer, oral anti-emetic or immunosuppressive drug(s); for a subsequent prescription in a 30-day period
Q0512 is the HCPCS Level II code for pharmacy supply fee for oral anti-cancer, oral anti-emetic or immunosuppressive drug(s); for a subsequent prescription in a 30-day period. In 2024 Medicare paid an average of $11.98 per service for Q0512 across 1,220,420 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 4 per day on DME suppliers. Medicare volume fell 9% from 2022 to 2024 (1,347,655 to 1,220,420 services). In 2024, 19,690 suppliers billed Medicare for Q0512 (purchases), serving 105,931 beneficiaries; California, New York, Florida accounted for 27% of services.
Code details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Section | Q codes — Temporary codes |
| Coverage code | D — Special coverage instructions apply |
| Pricing indicator | 46 — Priced by the Medicare contractor (no national fee) |
| BETOS category | O1E — Other drugs |
| Added | 2006-01-01 |
| Last action effective | 2009-01-01 |
Who bills Q0512 (2024)
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Suppliers billing rentals | — |
| Suppliers billing purchases | 19,690 |
| Referring clinicians | 27,847 |
| Medicare beneficiaries | 105,931 |
| States with claims | 53 |
| Share of services in top 3 states (California, New York, Florida) | 27% |
| Year | Suppliers | Beneficiaries |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 21,439 | 114,424 |
| 2023 | 20,951 | 110,958 |
| 2024 | 19,690 | 105,931 |
Counts only. Supplier and clinician names, contact lists and state-by-state detail are in Caduvo.
Medicare utilization for Q0512, 2022–2024
| Year | Services | Beneficiaries | Avg. allowed | Avg. paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1,347,655 | 114,424 | $16.00 | $12.21 |
| 2023 | 1,308,274 | 110,958 | $16.00 | $12.05 |
| 2024 | 1,220,420 | 105,931 | $16.00 | $11.98 |
States with the most Q0512 services (2024)
| State | Services | Avg. paid |
|---|---|---|
| California | 149,080 | $11.94 |
| New York | 96,041 | $12.06 |
| Florida | 83,604 | $12.03 |
| Texas | 78,664 | $11.96 |
| Pennsylvania | 51,743 | $11.94 |
NCCI unit limits (MUE)
| Claim type | Max units per day | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| DME suppliers | 4 | Clinical: Data |
| outpatient hospital claims | 4 | Clinical: Data |
Medicare policy articles for this code
- A52474: Immunosuppressive Drugs - Policy Article (CGS Administrators, LLC (DME MAC) Noridian Healthcare Solutions, LLC (DME MAC)) — mentions this code in its coding guidance
- A52479: Oral Anticancer Drugs - Policy Article (CGS Administrators, LLC (DME MAC) Noridian Healthcare Solutions, LLC (DME MAC)) — mentions this code in its coding guidance
- A52480: Oral Antiemetic Drugs (Replacement for Intravenous Antiemetics) - Policy Article (CGS Administrators, LLC (DME MAC) Noridian Healthcare Solutions, LLC (DME MAC)) — mentions this code in its coding guidance
Covered diagnoses (1,551 ICD-10-CM codes)
The diagnoses most often listed as covered in the policy articles above:
| ICD-10-CM | Diagnosis | Articles listing it |
|---|---|---|
| C00.0 | Malignant neoplasm of external upper lip | 2 |
| C00.1 | Malignant neoplasm of external lower lip | 2 |
| C00.3 | Malignant neoplasm of upper lip, inner aspect | 2 |
| C00.4 | Malignant neoplasm of lower lip, inner aspect | 2 |
| C00.6 | Malignant neoplasm of commissure of lip, unspecified | 2 |
| C00.8 | Malignant neoplasm of overlapping sites of lip | 2 |
| C01 | Malignant neoplasm of base of tongue | 2 |
| C02.0 | Malignant neoplasm of dorsal surface of tongue | 2 |
| C02.1 | Malignant neoplasm of border of tongue | 2 |
| C02.2 | Malignant neoplasm of ventral surface of tongue | 2 |
Showing 10 of 1,551. The full list, non-covered diagnoses and CSV export are in Caduvo.
What changed for Q0512
- 2006-01-01: Q0512 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 Q0512?
Q0512 is the HCPCS Level II code for pharmacy supply fee for oral anti-cancer, oral anti-emetic or immunosuppressive drug(s); for a subsequent prescription in a 30-day period. Short descriptor: "Px sup fee anti-can sub pres".
How much does Medicare pay for Q0512?
In 2024, the average Medicare payment was $11.98 per service (average allowed $16.00).
Does Medicare cover Q0512?
Coverage code D — Special coverage instructions apply. Medicare covers it when its national or local coverage criteria are met.
Which diagnoses support coverage for Q0512?
Medicare policy articles that cite Q0512 list 1,551 covered ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes across 3 articles. The most cited include C00.0 (Malignant neoplasm of external upper lip), C00.1 (Malignant neoplasm of external lower lip), C00.3 (Malignant neoplasm of upper lip, inner aspect). A listed diagnosis is necessary but not sufficient; the policy's other criteria still apply.
How many units of Q0512 can be billed per day?
4 on DME suppliers; 4 on outpatient hospital claims (NCCI medically unlikely edits).
Related Q05 codes
- Q0500 — Filters for use with electric or electric/pneumatic ventricular assist device, replacement only ($36.71–$40.36)
- Q0501 — Shower cover for use with electric or electric/pneumatic ventricular assist device, replacement only ($613.75–$675.13)
- Q0502 — Mobility cart for pneumatic ventricular assist device, replacement only ($781.39–$859.54)
- Q0503 — Battery for pneumatic ventricular assist device, replacement only, each ($1,562.84–$1,719.11)
- Q0504 — Power adapter for pneumatic ventricular assist device, replacement only, vehicle type ($824.68–$907.15)
- Q0506 — Battery, lithium-ion, for use with electric or electric/pneumatic ventricular assist device, replacement only ($1,026.54–$1,129.20)
- Q0507 — Miscellaneous supply or accessory for use with an external ventricular assist device
- Q0508 — Miscellaneous supply or accessory for use with an implanted ventricular assist device
- Q0509 — Miscellaneous supply or accessory for use with any implanted ventricular assist device for which payment was not made under medicare part a
- Q0510 — Pharmacy supply fee for initial immunosuppressive drug(s), first month following transplant
- Q0511 — Pharmacy supply fee for oral anti-cancer, oral anti-emetic or immunosuppressive drug(s); for the first prescription in a 30-day period
- Q0513 — Pharmacy dispensing fee for inhalation drug(s); per 30 days
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 Q0512
- Watch Q0512 for fee, coverage and descriptor changes
- Build a full Medicare revenue model for Q0512
Sources: CMS HCPCS Level II release October 2026; 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.