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HCPCS C1608 · Level II · C code

C1608: Prosthesis, total, dual mobility, first carpometacarpal joint (implantable), HCPCS Level II C code

Compiled from CMS files by the QuickIntell RCM Editorial Team · Data effective · Method: reference methodology · Report a data correction

Data currency: HCPCS Level II file: October 2026 (effective October 1, 2026); NCCI MUE tables: 2026 Q4 (effective October 1, 2026); NCCI PTP edits: v323r0 (2026 Q4) (effective October 1, 2026); OPPS Addendum B: October 2026 (effective October 1, 2026). Next CMS release: January 1, 2027 (quarterly update).

Key facts for C1608

Medicare payment
none in these files
no PFS, DMEPOS, CLFS, OPPS or ASC amount; pricing indicator 53
Coverage code
D
special coverage instructions apply
MUE
none published
no MUE in the 2026 Q4 tables
OPPS status
SI H
Pass-through device categories
NCCI PTP pairs
0
practitioner file
LCDs and articles
0 / 0

TL;DR

CMS describes HCPCS C1608, added in 2026, as "Prosthesis, total, dual mobility, first carpometacarpal joint (implantable)". None of the October 2026 PFS, DMEPOS, CLFS, OPPS or ASC files lists a national amount for C1608; its HCPCS pricing indicator is 53 (statute). No current LCD or billing article lists C1608; its HCPCS coverage code is D (special coverage instructions apply). OPPS status indicator H: Pass-through device categories. HCPCS record: BETOS P1G (major procedure - other); pricing indicator 53; type of service 2 (surgery). 4 other active codes open with "Prosthesis"; related codes: C1789, C1813, C1815, C2622.

C1608 descriptor and code status

The October 2026 HCPCS Level II file describes C1608 as “Prosthesis, total, dual mobility, first carpometacarpal joint (implantable)”. It sits in the C section (hospital outpatient prospective payment system, temporary codes), listed with the other C codes.

HCPCS file attributes of C1608
FieldValue
Short descriptorProsthesis, dual mob cmc1
Added to HCPCS2026-01-01
Last actionN (no maintenance), effective 2026-01-01
Coverage codeD: special coverage instructions apply
Pricing indicator53: statute
BETOS categoryP1G: major procedure - other
Type of service2: surgery
Statute1833(t)

Medicare payment for C1608

None of the October 2026 PFS, DMEPOS, CLFS, OPPS or ASC files lists a national amount for C1608; its HCPCS pricing indicator is 53 (statute). The amounts below are national figures from the October 2026 CMS files; the contractor applies the locality, rural or state adjustment and the beneficiary's cost sharing.

Hospital outpatient (OPPS Addendum B)

Status indicator H (Pass-through device categories), APC 2087 (Prosthesis, dual mob cmc1), with no separate OPPS payment rate.

Ambulatory surgical center (Addendum BB)

Payment indicator J7 (OPPS pass-through device paid separately when provided integral to a surgical procedure on ASC list; payment contractor-priced).

Medically Unlikely Edits for C1608

CMS publishes no MUE for C1608 in the 2026 Q4 practitioner, facility or DME supplier tables. Some MUE values are confidential and applied without publication, so unit limits can still deny; document the quantity furnished on every claim.

The MUE lookup for C1608 shows every setting next to any other code on the same claim.

NCCI edits and add-on rules

No active practitioner PTP pair lists C1608 in v323r0.

C1608 is neither an add-on code nor a designated primary code in the 2026 Q4 NCCI add-on edit file.

Pair counts show exposure, not the answer for one claim. Check C1608 against a second code to see whether the pair bundles and whether a modifier can separate the services.

Medicare coverage policies for C1608

No current LCD or billing and coding article lists C1608. The HCPCS coverage code D means special coverage instructions apply, and any National Coverage Determination for the service still applies.

Denials to expect on C1608

CARC 50 · N115

the service is not reasonable and necessary for the diagnosis on the claim

CARC 151 · N362

units exceed what the payer considers medically likely for one date of service

CARC 4

the modifier reported is inconsistent with the code

CARC 16

the claim lacks information needed to adjudicate the line, such as an order, NPI or required modifier

Where QuickIntell fits for C1608 claims

QuickCode supports qualified coder review of units, modifiers and NCCI pairs for C1608 before the claim leaves, and QuickRCM carries claim readiness and the denial follow-up when an edit or coverage policy is missed.

See QuickCode for coder reviewSee QuickRCM for denial follow-upBook a meeting

Frequently asked questions: HCPCS C1608

What does HCPCS code C1608 describe?

"Prosthesis, total, dual mobility, first carpometacarpal joint (implantable)" (short descriptor "Prosthesis, dual mob cmc1"), in the C section (hospital outpatient prospective payment system, temporary codes). Added 2026-01-01.

Is C1608 a CPT code?

No: CMS maintains C1608 in HCPCS Level II, while the AMA maintains CPT. It goes in the same procedure-code field.

What does Medicare pay for C1608?

None of the October 2026 PFS, DMEPOS, CLFS, OPPS or ASC files lists a national amount for C1608; its HCPCS pricing indicator is 53 (statute).

Does Medicare cover C1608?

No current LCD or billing article lists C1608; its HCPCS coverage code is D (special coverage instructions apply).

Sources

Every figure on this page is taken from the CMS publications below, as released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Projection built 2026-10-10. Verify against the primary file before billing or contracting decisions. The reference methodology explains how each figure is computed from these files.

Disclaimer

This page is an operational reference compiled from CMS publications: the HCPCS Level II file, the physician, DMEPOS and clinical laboratory fee schedules, OPPS and ASC addenda, NCCI MUE, PTP and add-on edit tables and the Medicare Coverage Database. Amounts are Medicare national figures before locality and state adjustment; Medicaid and commercial payers set their own. CPT codes are shown as numbers only; CPT descriptors are copyright AMA. Nothing here is legal, clinical or billing advice.

Found a figure that does not match the CMS file? Report a data correction with the CMS file and the value you expected; the request reaches the editorial team through the contact form.