HCPCS Code C1719: Brachytherapy source, non-stranded, non-HDR Ir-192

Key takeaways

HCPCS Code C1719 describes a brachytherapy source that is non-stranded and not high dose rate iridium-192 (non-HDR Ir-192)

C1719 is a C-series Level II HCPCS code used exclusively in hospital outpatient (OPPS) and ambulatory surgical center (ASC) settings under Medicare

C1716, C1717, and C1719 are distinguished by isotope and dose rate, not strand type: C1716 is gold-198, C1717 is high dose rate iridium-192, and C1719 is non-HDR iridium-192

C1718 was terminated by CMS effective June 30, 2007 and is no longer billable; current iodine-125 sources use C2638 (stranded) or C2639 (non-stranded) instead

Practice management software like Pabau helps outpatient billing teams document brachytherapy source selection and link HCPCS codes to procedures, feeding the practice’s existing US billing workflow

HCPCS Code C1719 covers a brachytherapy source that is non-stranded and not high dose rate iridium-192 (non-HDR Ir-192). Billing it correctly means confirming both the isotope and the dose rate from the physics and operative record, not the strand configuration.

C1719 is one of three active codes in the C1716-C1719 range that look nearly identical on paper, so selecting the wrong one based on isotope or dose rate is a common source of claim denials and Medicare audit flags. This reference covers the full code description, OPPS and ASC payment indicators, 2025/2026 Medicare rates, billing guidelines, and applicable modifiers.

HCPCS Code C1719: definition and clinical description

HCPCS Code C1719 is a Level II HCPCS code maintained by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). It describes a brachytherapy source that is simultaneously non-stranded and not high dose rate iridium-192. Both conditions must be true to bill C1719 correctly.

C-series codes apply exclusively to hospital outpatient and ASC settings under Medicare’s Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS). They are not valid for physician office billing. Understanding proper documentation and procedure-coding workflows for outpatient billing helps teams catch these placement errors before submission.

OPPS status indicator and APC assignment for C1719

Under Medicare’s Outpatient Prospective Payment System, each HCPCS code carries an OPPS status indicator that determines how CMS processes and pays the claim. For brachytherapy source codes including HCPCS Code C1719, the status indicator governs whether the item receives separate payment or is packaged into a larger procedure payment.

Because OPPS status indicators and APC assignments update annually, coders should verify the current year’s values directly in the CMS OPPS Addendum B rather than relying on static reference sheets. C1719 carries no Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) rate or RVU value, and a fee schedule lookup tool returns no result for this code.

Verifying HCPCS code status at the start of each calendar year is standard good practice for high-volume outpatient billing teams, and it applies just as much to other C-series device pass-through codes such as C1780. Integrating this check into your documentation and billing workflow prevents year-over-year errors from slipping through.

ASC payment indicator for C1719

Ambulatory surgical centers billing HCPCS Code C1719 follow the Medicare ASC payment system rather than OPPS. The ASC payment indicator signals whether a code is separately payable in that setting or excluded from ASC payment entirely.

ASC billers should note that brachytherapy source codes in the C17xx range are typically billed under ASC payment indicator H2. This means the source is paid separately from the associated surgical procedure when both are billed together, at a rate based on the OPPS rate.

This can vary by annual CMS rulemaking, so always verify the ASC payment indicator against the current CMS ASC Addendum AA file. Proper EHR billing integration allows outpatient billing teams to flag when a code’s ASC indicator changes year over year.

2025 and 2026 Medicare fee schedule rates for C1719

Specific Medicare payment rates for HCPCS Code C1719 change annually with each OPPS final rule. Rather than citing a fixed dollar amount that may be outdated by the time you read this, coders should retrieve current rates directly from the official CMS source. The table below summarizes the rate structure framework.

For current 2025 and 2026 rate data, use CMS OPPS Addendum B (facility rates), the CMS ASC Addendum AA (ASC rates), or run the code through the CMS OPPS Pricer. C1719 has no MPFS rate or RVU value, so an MPFS-based lookup tool returns no result for this code — it is priced solely under OPPS and ASC.

Commercial payer rates differ substantially from Medicare benchmarks and must be verified through individual payer contracts. Never treat Medicare rates as equivalent to commercial reimbursement for brachytherapy sources.

C1719 billing guidelines and coding tips

Claim denials for HCPCS Code C1719 cluster around three failure points: wrong code selection within the C1716 to C1719 range, insufficient documentation of source type, and incorrect unit reporting. Getting these right requires both clinical and coding alignment.

• Bill per source unit. C1719 is billed per individual brachytherapy source unit used during the procedure. Report the quantity equal to the number of sources actually implanted, supported by operative documentation.
• Document isotope and dose rate explicitly. The operative and physics record must identify both the isotope used (gold-198 for C1716, iridium-192 for C1717 and C1719) and, for iridium-192, the dose rate classification. An operative note that says only “brachytherapy implant” without isotope and dose rate gives a payer grounds for denial.
• Confirm non-HDR Ir-192. High dose rate iridium-192 sources code separately under C1717. If the source is low dose rate or pulse dose rate iridium-192, C1719 applies. Confirm dose rate classification with the radiation oncologist or physicist before billing.
• Facility billing only. C1719 is not valid for physician office claims. It applies only to hospital outpatient department and ASC facility fee billing.
• Verify coverage determination. Local Coverage Determinations (LCDs) and National Coverage Determinations (NCDs) may impose additional criteria. Check with your Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) for applicable policy articles before the first claim.
• Coordinate with the technical component. Brachytherapy sources are typically billed by the facility alongside the associated procedure codes (such as CPT radiation treatment delivery codes). Ensure the source code and procedure code combination is clinically consistent and documented.

Outpatient billing teams that handle radiation oncology procedures benefit from a standardized documentation checklist tied to each brachytherapy case. Linking this to your intake and procedure forms ensures the clinical team captures strand type, dose rate, and source count at the point of care rather than chasing records later. The same discipline carries over to codes like C1757.

Related brachytherapy source HCPCS codes: C1716 through C1719

C1716, C1717, and C1719 are distinguished by two variables: isotope (gold-198 versus iridium-192) and, for iridium-192 sources, dose rate (high dose rate versus non-high dose rate). All three describe non-stranded sources — strand type is not what separates them.

C1718 previously covered an iodine-125 source but was terminated by CMS effective June 30, 2007, and is not a current billable code. It is included below only to flag that it should not be used or compared as a live code. The table below clarifies the distinctions.

The key differentiator for C1719 is iridium-192 at a non-high dose rate. An iridium-192 source at a high dose rate belongs to C1717 instead, and a gold-198 source belongs to C1716 — strand type doesn’t factor into any of these three. Confusing isotope or dose rate is the single most common error in brachytherapy source billing for this range.

Don’t reference C1718 as a current comparator. It was deleted in 2007, and iodine-125 sources are now billed under C2638 (stranded) or C2639 (non-stranded), the pair where strand type is the distinguishing variable. Review the operative and physics records together before assigning any code across either range.

Outpatient practices managing oncology or radiology procedures can explore how practice management software supports billing accuracy across complex code sets.

Applicable modifiers for HCPCS Code C1719

Modifiers for HCPCS Code C1719 are applied less frequently than for CPT procedure codes, but specific scenarios do require them. The table below lists modifiers that billers may encounter in brachytherapy source claims.

Modifier requirements for C1719 can vary by MAC. Verify applicable modifier policies with your MAC’s Local Coverage Determination (LCD) or equivalent policy article before applying modifiers to a live claim. The PGM Billing lookup tool and the NLM Clinical Table Search can assist with code verification.

Outpatient billing staff who manage multi-procedure radiation oncology cases, including cases involving codes like C1765, may also benefit from reviewing HIPAA-compliant documentation practices that support modifier justification in the medical record.

How Pabau supports brachytherapy coding documentation

Outpatient radiation oncology teams billing C1719 typically juggle three separate records: the physics documentation confirming isotope and dose rate, the operative note confirming source count, and the billing system where the HCPCS code gets attached to the claim.

When those live in different places, the detail that justifies C1719 over C1716, C1717, or a stranded iodine-125 code gets lost between systems, which is exactly what triggers the denials and audit flags outpatient billers run into.

Practice management software like Pabau keeps that record connected. Treatment notes, consent documentation, and code-to-procedure association can sit against one patient record, so the operative and physics detail that supports C1719 is already there when a claim is prepared, instead of being chased down from radiation oncology after the fact.

Pabau’s claims and billing tools don’t submit US Medicare OPPS or ASC claims directly. For US outpatient and ASC practices, Pabau’s role is keeping the documentation and code-to-procedure trail audit-ready, so it feeds cleanly into the practice’s existing US billing and claims submission workflow rather than replacing it.

The same document-to-code discipline applies outside radiation oncology. A functional medicine practice tracking lab-linked billing codes and a sports medicine clinic documenting injury-specific procedure codes face the same need to keep clinical detail attached to the code before a claim goes out.

Keep brachytherapy documentation audit-ready

Pabau's documentation tools help outpatient teams tie physics records, operative notes, and HCPCS code selection to one patient record, so the details that justify a code like C1719 are ready before a claim goes out.

Book a demo

Conclusion

HCPCS Code C1719 is a precise code for a precise product: a brachytherapy source that is non-stranded and not high dose rate iridium-192. Getting it right means confirming both source characteristics from the clinical record before billing, verifying the current year’s OPPS and ASC payment indicators, and applying any MAC-required modifiers.

For outpatient practices handling radiation oncology billing alongside broader operations, keeping the physics and operative record connected to the code selected is what prevents the C1716/C1717/C1719 mix-ups that trigger denials. Book a demo to see how Pabau keeps brachytherapy documentation and code-to-procedure records audit-ready for your outpatient billing workflow.

Continue your research

Need another device-code billing reference? C1751 covers infusion catheter billing and unit reporting for outpatient claims.

Billing durable medical equipment in a hospital setting? E0297 walks through hospital bed billing guidelines for outpatient and facility claims.

Handling drug codes alongside device codes? J7308 covers aminolevulinic acid HCl billing requirements.

Frequently asked questions