Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes are a standardized language medical professionals use to describe services and procedures for insurance billing and tracking. CPT code 96374 represents a specific type of therapeutic service provided during a healthcare encounter. This five-digit code reports the work involved in administering an initial intravenous (IV) push of a medication or substance. Understanding this code helps clarify why a charge for drug administration appears separately from the cost of the drug itself.
Defining the Intravenous Push
The Intravenous Push is a method of rapidly delivering a medication directly into a vein. A healthcare provider uses a syringe to inject the substance through an existing IV line or a catheter inserted into the vein. This technique is distinct because it involves a quick injection over a very short time, often less than 15 minutes.
The rapid administration contrasts sharply with an intravenous infusion, which delivers medication slowly over a prolonged period, sometimes hours. The IV push requires the provider to remain present during the administration to closely monitor the patient for any immediate reactions. This direct observation and swift action are part of the specific work captured by the 96374 code.
When This Injection Method Is Used
This method is frequently selected in urgent or emergency settings where time is a critical factor for patient stabilization. The rapid delivery ensures that the medication achieves a high peak concentration in the plasma quickly, which is often necessary for a therapeutic response.
Clinical scenarios requiring an IV push include administering certain antibiotics, like cefepime, to reduce the time to the first dose for a severe infection. It is also the preferred route for rapid pain relief using analgesics or for giving antiemetics to quickly stop severe nausea and vomiting. Furthermore, for patients with conditions like acute kidney injury or congestive heart failure, an IV push is advantageous because it minimizes the total volume of fluid administered, avoiding fluid overload.
How This Procedure Is Billed
CPT code 96374 represents the professional service of drug administration, which is separate from the cost of the drug itself. The charge covers the preparation of the medication, the setup of the administration equipment, and the direct monitoring time required by the clinician. It is considered a therapeutic service code, meaning it is used for treatment, prevention (prophylactic), or diagnostic purposes.
When reviewing a bill, the medication itself is usually documented with a separate code, often a Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) Level II code, known as a J-code. The code 96374 is specifically for the initial substance given via IV push during a single encounter. If a patient receives a second, different medication via IV push during the same visit, the subsequent administration is billed using a different CPT code, 96375, which denotes an additional substance. Accurate billing requires documentation to include the drug name, the exact dosage, and the start and stop times of the administration to support the use of this code.