How to Look Up Active vs Deleted HCPCS Codes

HCPCS codes have a status that indicates whether they are currently active, have been deleted, or have been changed (typically replaced by another code). Billing a deleted code is one of the most common and preventable reasons for automatic Medicare claim denial. Use the HCPCS code browser to check whether a code is active before including it on a claim — active codes are labeled in green; deleted codes appear with a red indicator.

When CMS deletes a code, it assigns a termination date. After the termination date, the code is no longer valid for new claims. Some deleted codes have replacement codes — CMS may retire a code and simultaneously add a new code with a revised description. When this happens, the old code's description may include a "use [new code] instead" note. The quarterly changes pages show new additions and deletions together, which helps billers identify the replacement.

Changed codes (sometimes called "revised" codes) retain their code number but have an updated description. The change may expand or narrow what the code covers, change the unit of measure for a drug code, or reflect a coverage policy update. Billers should review revised code descriptions carefully to confirm the service they are billing still falls within the updated description.

A practical workflow for quarterly code maintenance: pull the list of deleted codes from the quarterly change file, compare against your chargemaster or active code list, and deactivate any matches. Then review revised codes and update your internal descriptions. Finally, add any new codes that are relevant to your specialty. This three-step process, done before each quarterly effective date, prevents the most common code-related denials.