I63.012: Cerebral infarction due to thrombosis of left vertebral artery

I63.012, cerebral infarction due to thrombosis of left vertebral artery, is listed as a covered diagnosis in 9 Medicare billing and coding articles that apply to 36 HCPCS Level II codes, including C8900 (Magnetic resonance angiography with contrast, abdomen), C8901 (Magnetic resonance angiography without contrast, abdomen), C8902 (Magnetic resonance angiography without contrast followed…). The articles come from 5 Medicare contractors. A listed diagnosis supports medical necessity only; coverage still depends on the LCD's criteria and on documentation in the medical record.

HCPCS Level II codes with I63.012 as a covered diagnosis

CodeDescriptionMedicare coverageDMEPOS fee 2026 (state range)Articles listing it
C8900Magnetic resonance angiography with contrast, abdomenSpecial coverage instructions apply—3
C8901Magnetic resonance angiography without contrast, abdomenSpecial coverage instructions apply—3
C8902Magnetic resonance angiography without contrast followed by with contrast, abdomenSpecial coverage instructions apply—3
C8909Magnetic resonance angiography with contrast, chest (excluding myocardium)Special coverage instructions apply—3
C8910Magnetic resonance angiography without contrast, chest (excluding myocardium)Special coverage instructions apply—3
C8911Magnetic resonance angiography without contrast followed by with contrast, chest (excluding myocardium)Special coverage instructions apply—3
C8912Magnetic resonance angiography with contrast, lower extremitySpecial coverage instructions apply—3
C8913Magnetic resonance angiography without contrast, lower extremitySpecial coverage instructions apply—3
C8914Magnetic resonance angiography without contrast followed by with contrast, lower extremitySpecial coverage instructions apply—3
C8918Magnetic resonance angiography with contrast, pelvisSpecial coverage instructions apply—3
C8919Magnetic resonance angiography without contrast, pelvisSpecial coverage instructions apply—3
C8920Magnetic resonance angiography without contrast followed by with contrast, pelvisSpecial coverage instructions apply—3
G0453Continuous intraoperative neurophysiology monitoring, from outside the operating room (remote or nearby), per patient, (attention directed exclusively to one patient) each 15 minutes (list in addition to primary procedure)Carrier judgment—2
C8931Magnetic resonance angiography with contrast, spinal canal and contentsSpecial coverage instructions apply—2
C8932Magnetic resonance angiography without contrast, spinal canal and contentsSpecial coverage instructions apply—2
C8933Magnetic resonance angiography without contrast followed by with contrast, spinal canal and contentsSpecial coverage instructions apply—2
C8934Magnetic resonance angiography with contrast, upper extremitySpecial coverage instructions apply—2
C8935Magnetic resonance angiography without contrast, upper extremitySpecial coverage instructions apply—2
C8936Magnetic resonance angiography without contrast followed by with contrast, upper extremitySpecial coverage instructions apply—2
Q9957Injection, perflutren lipid microspheres, per mlCarrier judgment—1
Q9956Injection, octafluoropropane microspheres, per mlCarrier judgment—1
C8925Transesophageal echocardiography (tee) with contrast, or without contrast followed by with contrast, real time with image documentation (2d) (with or without m-mode recording); including probe placement, image acquisition, interpretation and reportSpecial coverage instructions apply—1
C8926Transesophageal echocardiography (tee) with contrast, or without contrast followed by with contrast, for congenital cardiac anomalies; including probe placement, image acquisition, interpretation and reportSpecial coverage instructions apply—1
C8927Transesophageal echocardiography (tee) with contrast, or without contrast followed by with contrast, for monitoring purposes, including probe placement, real time 2-dimensional image acquisition and interpretation leading to ongoing (continuous) assessment of (dynamically changing) cardiac pumping function and to therapeutic measures on an immediate time basisSpecial coverage instructions apply—1
Q9955Injection, perflexane lipid microspheres, per mlCarrier judgment—1

11 more codes are listed. See every code with payment by region in Caduvo.

Medicare policy articles listing I63.012

A diagnosis listed as covered in a billing and coding article supports medical necessity for the article's codes; it does not guarantee payment. Coverage depends on the LCD's criteria, the contractor's jurisdiction and documentation in the medical record.

Other I63 diagnoses (Cerebral infarction)

Frequently asked questions

Does Medicare cover I63.012 (Cerebral infarction due to thrombosis of left vertebral…)?

Medicare covers items and services, not diagnoses. 9 Medicare billing and coding articles list I63.012 as a covered diagnosis for 36 HCPCS Level II codes: the diagnosis can support medical necessity for those codes, but payment still depends on the LCD's coverage criteria and the medical record.

Which HCPCS codes can be billed with ICD-10 I63.012?

The Level II codes from the policies most specific to this diagnosis are C8900 (Magnetic resonance angiography with contrast, abdomen, 3 articles); C8901 (Magnetic resonance angiography without contrast, abdomen, 3 articles); C8902 (Magnetic resonance angiography without contrast followed…, 3 articles); C8909 (Magnetic resonance angiography with contrast, chest…, 3 articles); C8910 (Magnetic resonance angiography without contrast, chest…, 3 articles). Code choice depends on the item supplied; check each code's descriptor.

Which Medicare policy articles list I63.012?

A56505 (Billing and Coding: Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE)); A57604 (Billing and Coding: Intraoperative Neurophysiological Testing); A56722 (Billing and Coding: Intraoperative Neurophysiological Testing), and 6 more articles.

What is ICD-10-CM code I63.012?

I63.012 is the ICD-10-CM code for cerebral infarction due to thrombosis of left vertebral artery, in category I63 (Cerebral infarction), chapter 9: Diseases of the circulatory system.

Next steps

Sources: CMS Medicare Coverage Database billing and coding articles (covered ICD-10 code lists and HCPCS links); ICD-10-CM FY2026; CMS HCPCS Level II release October 2026; CMS DMEPOS fee schedule 2026 (non-rural state fees). Not billing or legal advice.

Chapter 9: Diseases of the circulatory system · All diagnoses · HCPCS lookup